I am interested in the mechanisms that underlie cell lineage determination and pattern formation in the early embryo. It is quite evident that specific genes regulate these processes. I am fascinated by the notion that spatial and temporal expression of those genes produce unique combinations of gene products that cause the cell to become a certain type of cell. I would like to address the question of how the genes involved in patterning the embryo interact to specifically give rise to one structure and not something else. A particular aspect of developmental biology that I'm interested in is that of the development of the nervous system. From previous experience in the field, I've become intrigued with how precisely axons are able to find their targets during development. From the literature we know axons use molecules in the extracellular environment to guide them to their targets. I would like to study, using genetics and immunochemical techniques, what genes and molecules are responsible for setting this pathway that cells follow.
