Many of the devastating diseases that afflict the human nervous system have their origins during embryonic development, when the mechanisms that give rise to cell type diversity and a complex tissue architecture go awry. In addition, the ability to repair damaged neural tissue in a clinical setting largely depends on a better understanding of the normal mechanisms that underlie brain and spinal cord development. Identifying these mechanisms and understanding their molecular bases is one of the most challenging problems in modern biology. The program proposed here is designed to address this challenge by producing doctorates trained in developmental biology with an emphasis on neural development. This training program is based on the rationale that the nervous system develops using elaborations on the same developmental principles and molecules that govern the formation of any multicellular organisms. Accordingly, trainees will engage in research and classroom education that will provide them with (1) a foundation in the principles of developmental biology, much of which stems from work in model organisms, (2) a training in developmental neurobiology, and (3) an exposure to emerging technologies that are likely to drive forward the field of experimental embryology.
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