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Content:

This module will consider the cellular and molecular events which underlie animal development and cell differentiation, drawing on examples from a range of vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. The objective of the module is to train students to not only understand evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of development through a detailed study of experimental evidence, but also to provide students with an overview of how to investigate and uncover developmental mechanisms using classical and modern genetic and embryology techniques across a variety of model systems including but not limited to Xenopus, Chick, Mouse, Zebrafish, C. elegans and Drosophila melanogaster.

Topics will include morphogen gradients, signalling pathways, cell intrinsic and extrinsic signalling, cell fate, etc. in the context of embryonic and tissue patterning, limb regeneration, neural induction, etc.

This module is an option for students on Biosciences and Natural Sciences programmes, and may be taken as an elective by students (including affiliate students) on other degree programmes.

It is aimed at students with particular interest in gaining hands-on experience in developmental biology. The lectures are common to the 15-credit module CELL0001, but this 30-credit version includes compulsory a series of compulsory practicals with the model systems described in the lectures (e.g. Xenopus, zebrafish, chick, C. elegans, mouse and Drosophila), which are assessed by individual assignments.

Indicative lecture topics (based on module content in a typical year):

• Introduction and concepts.
• Principles of experimental design, experimental approaches and developmental systems.
• Xenopus (1 lecture + 1 practical).
• Chick (2 lectures + 1 practical).
• Zebrafish (3 lectures + 1 practical).
• Mouse (2 lectures + 1 practical).
• Drosophila (3 lectures + 1 practical).
• Dictyostelium as a model (1 lecture)
• C. elegans (2 lectures + 1 practical)
• Revision sessions with previous exam questions (2 lectures)

Module organizers: Dr Vilaiwan Fernandes (vilaiwan.fernandes@ucl.ac.uk) and Prof. Claudio Stern (c.stern@ucl.ac.uk).