The core mission of the proposed Developmental Biology Training Program is to produce highly qualified independent research scientists trained to take a broad interdisciplinary approach to developmental biology problems. The investigators have built a longstanding (30 year) active training program centered in the Committee on Developmental Biology (CDB), which benefits from significant Institutional and programmatic support, a well-established course curriculum, and a group of 31 vibrant, well-funded faculty trainers. This program has a proven track record in recruiting highly qualified trainees who go on to successful research careers in academia and industry. NIH support will allow them to formalize training of what is currently an informal grouping of trainees from within and beyond CDB. Trainees who matriculate to other degree-granting units such as Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, Genetics, Neurobiology, and Organismal Biology &Anatomy, significantly enhance the interdisciplinary nature of research and training endeavor. A program is proposed that will ensure all trainees receive appropriate education in developmental biology, and of equal importance, facilitate interactions among trainees to enhance their learning experience. This mission is entirely consistent with the philosophy of the Division of Biological Sciences to avoid artificial boundaries and to encourage broad based interaction and collaboration. The DBTP trainers are a combination of experienced mentors and talented junior faculty. There are longstanding strengths in developmental genetics and the cellular basis of development processes. In addition, over the last decade the University of Chicago has built focus areas in developmental neurobiology and evolutionary developmental biology - the biannual student run symposium on the Developmental Basis of Evolutionary Change is one of the premiere national """"""""Evo-Devo"""""""" meetings. The organizers request support for a total of six predoctoral trainees. They will support a combination of incoming students with clear interests in developmental biology, and students from related disciplines whose interests focus on developmental questions in the first year of study. A carefully designed curriculum has been developed including six formal courses in developmental biology, additional courses in molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, neurobiology, and evolutionary biology, and a wide range of supplemental activities including an annual retreat, journal club, and several seminar series. To enhance these training activities further the organizers propose to develop an annual one-day developmental biology symposium. Thus the program should produce researchers trained in a variety of areas directly relevant to human health and disease. Developmental biology studies at the University of Chicago include the generation of animal disease models, studies of cancer and stem cell biology, as well as research into the underlying basis of birth defects that affect humans. The interactive environment within the Division of Biological Sciences allows collaborations that facilitate the movement of discoveries from the laboratory bench to the clinic.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Institutional National Research Service Award (T32)
Project #
5T32HD055164-05
Application #
8262648
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHD1-RRG-K (32))
Program Officer
Javois, Lorette Claire
Project Start
2008-06-01
Project End
2014-04-30
Budget Start
2012-05-01
Budget End
2014-04-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$178,128
Indirect Cost
$8,554
Name
University of Chicago
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
005421136
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60637
Steimle, Jeffrey D; Rankin, Scott A; Slagle, Christopher E et al. (2018) Evolutionarily conserved Tbx5-Wnt2/2b pathway orchestrates cardiopulmonary development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115:E10615-E10624
Briscoe, Steven D; Ragsdale, Clifton W (2018) Molecular anatomy of the alligator dorsal telencephalon. J Comp Neurol 526:1613-1646
Davis, Trevor L; Rebay, Ilaria (2018) Pleiotropy in Drosophila organogenesis: Mechanistic insights from Combgap and the retinal determination gene network. Fly (Austin) 12:62-70
Davis, Trevor L; Rebay, Ilaria (2017) Antagonistic regulation of the second mitotic wave by Eyes absent-Sine oculis and Combgap coordinates proliferation and specification in the Drosophila retina. Development 144:2640-2651
Davis, Trevor L; Hoi, Charlene S L; Rebay, Ilaria (2017) Mutations that impair Eyes absent tyrosine phosphatase activity in vitro reduce robustness of retinal determination gene network output in Drosophila. PLoS One 12:e0187546
Zhou, Lun; Liu, Jielin; Xiang, Menglan et al. (2017) Gata4 potentiates second heart field proliferation and Hedgehog signaling for cardiac septation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:E1422-E1431
Gallik, Kristin L; Treffy, Randall W; Nacke, Lynne M et al. (2017) Neural crest and cancer: Divergent travelers on similar paths. Mech Dev 148:89-99
Davis, Trevor L; Rebay, Ilaria (2017) Master regulators in development: Views from the Drosophila retinal determination and mammalian pluripotency gene networks. Dev Biol 421:93-107
Nakamura, Tetsuya; Gehrke, Andrew R; Lemberg, Justin et al. (2016) Digits and fin rays share common developmental histories. Nature 537:225-228
Gehrke, Andrew R; Shubin, Neil H (2016) Cis-regulatory programs in the development and evolution of vertebrate paired appendages. Semin Cell Dev Biol 57:31-39

Showing the most recent 10 out of 38 publications