Genetics & Development

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Tien Hsu, Ph.D. - Division Director The Division of Genetics and Development offers training and research in the field of genetics and developmental biology, which utilizes a variety of animal models to assess the gene functions in embryonic development. Modern developmental genetics has become the central organizing field in all traditional disciplines in biology, such as cell biology, molecular biology, anatomy, evolution, and ecology. It has also contributed greatly to more practical fields such as medicine, environmental science and agriculture. The model systems studied by the faculty members include Drosophila (fruit fly) for oogenesis and vascular system development, zebrafish for environmental impact on embryogenesis, Xenopus (frog) for neurogenesis, chick for the formation of cardiovascular system, mice for a variety of organogenesis such as limb and follicle development, hematopoiesis, heart formation and mammary development, and human familial diseases for genetic linkage studies. In addition to transgenic and knockout technology, a variety of cell culture systems, including those for human stem cells, are utilized in the research. Time-lapse confocal laser scanning picture of changing gene expression in the developing heart tube.

Drosophila trachea marked by immunohistochemistry and observed by confocal laser microscopy. The wild-type embryo (upper pane) shows an intricate network of tubular structure. The network is disrupted in mutants of the Drosophila oncogene pnt (lower panel).

The picture shows a new-born mouse [top] defective in hair follicle development as compared to the normal animal [bottom]. The defect is induced by Hox gene over-expression.

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Genetics & Development Course Descriptions

Cellular signaling during Development MCBP-743

This course is designed to build on the Regulation of Gene Expression, Biomembranes, Receptors and Signaling and Systems Biology units of the first year curriculum for Ph.D., and complement ongoing department-specific seminars and journal clubs. Cellular Signaling during Development will provide the students with an in depth look at ongoing research in the field of developmental biology with a strong focus on the signaling networks that control the important developmental processes. Emphasis will also be placed on the pathology of dysregulated signaling mechanisms in diseases. It will allow for a broad scope of understanding of the techniques, theories and practices involved in the delineation of cellular signaling in complex systems. The course will begin, in the first 2 sessions, with an outline of and introduction to topics to be discussed. Review and discussion of papers by the students will follow. For each paper discussed the presenting student will first provide overviews that will serve as background material. Grades will be based on the quality of presentation and participation.
3 credit hours
Course Directors: Tien Hsu and Robin Muise-Helmericks.
The course is offered in the Spring Semester of alternate years (starting 2005).

Cardiovascular Developmental Mechanisms MCBP-762
This course will provide a current multidisciplinary view of the processes governing embryonic development. It will consist of four major sections: (1) the morphological and molecular events underlying organ formation in multiple model organisms (fly, fish, frog, bird, mouse, and human); (2) gene regulation of developmental processes, including axis formation, embryonic patterning and cell lineage determination; (3) cell biology of the embryo, including a discussion of stem cells, cell migration, apoptosis, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions; and (4) an in-depth examination of selected organ systems (brain, cardiovascular system, and limb). The course is intended for graduate students.
3 credits
Fall semester
Course Director: Eisenberg

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Genetics & Development Faculty

Alexander Awgulewitsch, Ph.D. Professor Rheumatology/Immunology Role of Hox genes in cartilage & muscle development and transgenic models for skin and hair defects John E. Baatz, Ph.D. Professor Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology Gene therapy for cystic fibrosis Narayan R. Bhat, Ph.D. Professor Department of Neurology Glial cell lineages in nervous system development Maria G. Buse, M.D. Professor, Division of Endocrinology Hormonal and metabolic regulation, the action of insulin, diabetes, mechanisms of insulin resistance Lisa Cunningham , Ph.D. Assistant Professor Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Genes regulating cellular responses to stress in neurons and sensory receptor cells. Maurizio Del Poeta, Ph.D. Associate Professor Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Fungal pathogenesis Christopher J. Drake, Ph.D. Professor Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy The developmental biology of de novo blood vessel formation mediated by vasculogenesis Carol Eisenberg, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy Stem cell diversification Leonard M. Eisenberg, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy The molecular mechanisms that control the phenotypic direction of differentiating stem cells Gary Gilkeson, M.D. Professor Division of Rheumatology Genetics of autoimmunity and of racial disparity in autoimmunity Robert G. Gourdie, Ph.D. Professor Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy Cardiac cell fate, molecular induction and patterning of the heart Stanley R. Hoffman, Ph.D. Professor Rheumatology/Immunology Function of specific ECM proteins and MMP's in development Tien Hsu, Ph.D. Professor Hollings Cancer Center Signal transduction and gene regulation in embryonic development and oogenesis Michael Kern, Ph.D. Associate Professor Cell Biology & Anatomy Defining the molecular/genetic circuitry of patterning genes in bone, craniofacial, and cardiovascular development. Target genes of homeobox transcription factors: microarrays and beyond.

Steven W. Kubalak, Ph.D. Associate Professor Cell Biology & Anatomy Cardiac development in retinoid x receptor-alpha gene-targeted mice Terrence O'Brien, M.D. Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) and Cell Biology and Anatomy Molecular biology and developmental regulation of conduction system of cardiomyocytes Makio Ogawa, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Department of Medicine Division of Experimental Hematology Differentiation and proliferation of hemopoietic stem cells Janardan P. Pandey, B.S., M.S., Ph.D. Professor Microbiology and Immunology Role of cytokine and immunoglobulin genes in infectious and autoimmune diseases. Swapan K. Ray, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Neurology involvement of calpain, a Ca2+-dependent cysteine protease, in the molecular mechanisms of cell death in disorders and diseases of the central nervous system Baerbel Rohrer, Ph.D. Associate Professor Opthalmology Retinal development and genetics of retinal degeneration Carlos Salinas, D.M.D. Professor Pediatric Dentistry Clinical aspects of birth defects affecting the craniofacial structures, and the oral & dental manifestations of genetic & systemic disorders Clifford W. Schweinfest, Ph.D. Professor Department of Experimental Oncology Genetic basis of colorectal cancer and genome instability in prostate cancer Demetri D. Spyropoulos, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Medicine Mammary gland & male urogenital system development, and hematopoiesis Bryan Toole , Ph.D. Professor Cell Biology and Anatomy Role of hyaluronan and emmprin in limb and cardiocascular development and in epithelial-mesechymal transitions Thomas Walle, Ph.D. Professor Professor of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology Carcinogenesis: prevention and toxicology Gregory W. Warr, Ph.D. Professor Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ecogenomics, function of enhancers Dennis K. Watson, Ph.D. Professor Laboratory of Cancer Genomics Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Effects of gene dosage on development: knockout and transgenic models

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