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Research in Developmental Biology |
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Development can be thought of as the sum of processes connecting genes to morphology. With the complete genome sequences of several "model" plants and animals in hand, a more comprehensive and detailed understanding how genes function and interact in development will be among the important goals of the functional analyses that must follow. Indeed, molecular genetic analyses of development in several model organisms already have provided a conceptual and factual framework that informs and facilitates both the computer-assisted analysis of genomics data and the formulation and testing of more detailed functional hypotheses. Development also has fundamental connections to other core areas of biology well represented in this department. For example, morphogenesis depends on changes in shape of individual cells driven by the cytoskeleton and on selective adhesion of cells to each other and to intercellular matrix. And novel morphologies can evolve only through the modification of ancestral developmental pathways. Mike Bastiani Guidance of neuronal outgrowths during development of the nervous system Mary Beckerle The role of cell adhesion in development Mario Capecchi Analysis of early development in mice by targeted gene disruption/replacement; functions of homeobox genes Colin Dale Evolution of insect-bacterial associations; microbial diversity; ecology and evolution of symbiosis Joe Dickinson Evolution and development (theoretical aspects) Gary Drews Development of the female gametophyte in flowering plants (Arabidopsis) Dave Gard Regulation and function of cytoskeleton in oogenesis and early development of amphibians (Xenopus) Darryl Kropf Fertilization, early development and the establishment of polarity in brown algae (Pelvetia) Michael D. Shapiro Vertebrate genetics, development, and evolution Leslie Sieburth Development of vein patterning in plants (Arabidopsis) |