DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND CELL BIOLOGY

5205A McGaugh Hall; (949) 824-1721
Arthur D. Lander, Department Chair
Ken W.-Y. Cho, Department Vice Chair

Faculty

Joseph Arditti (Emeritus): Developmental physiology of orchids

Kavita Arora: Drosophila development; TGF-β signal transduction; cell signaling

Lee Bardwell: Intracellular signaling in development and disease

Bruce Blumberg: Gene regulation by nuclear hormone receptors in vertebrate development and adult physiology

Hans R. Bode (Emeritus): Pattern formation and stem cell differentiation

Carrie Brachmann: Spatial and molecular regulation of developmental apoptosis

Peter J. Bryant: Tumor-suppressor genes of Drosophila and humans

Susan V. Bryant: Molecular basis of limb development and regeneration

Richard D. Campbell (Emeritus): Morphogenesis; biology of Hydra; fractal geometry of biological forms

Ken W.-Y Cho: Molecular mechanisms of axis specification in Xenopus

Peter J. Donovan: Stem cell biology

Aimee L. Edinger: Cancer biology, cellular growth control, apoptosis

Donald E. Fosket (Emeritus): Regulation of cytoskeleton formation and function

Steven Gross: Force Generation by molecular motors in living cells

Patrick L. Healey (Emeritus): Plant cellular differentiation and morphogenesis; ultrastructure and histochemistry of secretory systems; early reproductive development

Franz Hoffmann: Regeneration of cultured plant cells; somatic cell genetics

Daniel J. Knauer (Emeritus): Human antithrombins and related serine protease inhibitors

Stuart M. Krassner (Emeritus): Developmental transitions of hemoflagellates

Arthur D. Lander: Molecular mechanisms of cell and axon guidance; proteoglycans

Eva Y.-H. P. Lee: DNA repair and tumor suppressor genes; cancer biology

Howard M. Lenhoff (Emeritus): Biology of Hydra; immobilized enzymes; history of experimental biology

Shin Lin: The combined use of biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, and molecular biophysics to study the structure and function of proteins involved in cytoskeletal/contractile functions and signal transduction in muscle and nonmuscle cells

Leslie Lock: Stem cell biology

Grant MacGregor: Mouse reproduction and development

J. Lawrence Marsh: Molecular genetics of development in Drosophila and humans

Ronald L. Meyer: Development of nerve connections, nerve injury and regeneration

R. Michael Mulligan: RNA editing in plant mitochondria and chloroplasts

Diane K. O'Dowd: Electrical excitability and synaptic connectivity during development

Maike Sander: Transcriptional control of CNS and pancreas development mouse genetics

Thomas F. Schilling: Zebrafish development, vertebrate genetics, and craniofacial development

Christine Suetterlin: Golgi dynamics during the cell sumoylation

Rahul Warrior: Genetics and cell biology of nuclear migration of growth factor signaling

Tau-Mu Yi: G-protein signaling; systems biology

Research programs of the Department of Developmental and Cell Biology focus on molecular aspects of the development of eukaryotic organisms, on the molecular interaction of cells in tissue differentiation, and expression and function of genes related to the biogenesis of organelles and cellular constituents. The main emphasis of research training is in the molecular aspects of cells and development, and the utilization of biotechnology. The Department maintains facilities for research that include genetic, molecular, and biochemical techniques and also has facilities in advanced electron optics, microsurgery, microinjection, and neurophysiology.

The Department offers graduate study in conjunction with the program in Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry (MBGB), and the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, which are described in a previous section. Students admitted into the combined program who select a research advisor in the Department begin following the departmental requirements for the Ph.D. at the beginning of their second year. Students participate in the Developmental or Cell Biology Journal Club and the departmental seminar series, which meet weekly during the academic year. In the fall of their third year, students take the advancement-to-candidacy examination by presenting and defending a proposal for specific dissertation research. The normative time for completion of the Ph.D. is five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years.

Courses in Developmental and Cell Biology

200A-B-C Research in Developmental and Cell Biology (2 to 12 per quarter) F, W, S. Individual research supervised by a particular professor. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

201A-C Advanced Topics in Developmental Biology (2-2) F, S. Seminar, two hours. Advanced study in various fields of organismic biology. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit.

202A-B-C Basic Training (2-2-2) F, W, S. Lecture, two hours. Provides students with skills and knowledge needed to make a rapid start in productive research in molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry. Includes experimental design; laboratory safety; literature management; microscopy; statistics; patents; grantsmanship; publication; presentation; teaching; and responsible conduct of research. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

203A-B-C Graduate Tutorial in Developmental and Cell Biology (4-4-4) F, W, S. Advanced study in areas not represented by formal courses. May involve individual or small group study through discussion, reading, and composition. Time and subject matter arranged individually.

204 Advanced Topics in Developmental Neurobiology (2) F, W, S. Seminar, two hours. Discussion of recent papers in the area of molecular aspects of cellular and developmental neurobiology. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

205 Molecular Motors and the Cytoskeleton (4) F, W, S. Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Cells use nano-machines (molecular motors) to organize themselves and transport cargo. This interdisciplinary course studies these motors and the rails they move along. Examines their biological function and how they function at the single-molecule level as machines. Prerequisite: Biological Sciences D103 or consent of instructor. Concurrent with Biological Sciences D115.

206A-B-C Advanced Topics in Cell Biology (2-2-2) F, W, S. Seminar, two hours. Advanced study of various topics in cell biology. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit.

207 Mouse Developmental Genetics (4) S. Lecture, three hours. Introduction to the use of the mouse in contemporary biomedical research. The biology and development of the laboratory mouse, methods for manipulation of the mouse genome and embryos, and examples of application of these methods to understanding mammalian development and homeostasis. Prerequisite: graduate standing, advanced undergraduate standing, or consent of instructors Same as Biological Chemistry 215.

209 Molecular Genetics Journal Club (2) F, W, S. Seminar, one and one-half hours. Advanced topics of current interest in molecular and developmental genetics. May be repeated for credit.

210 Advanced Development Genetics (4). Lecture, three hours. Advanced course on the use of genetic analysis to identify the genes that control cell behavior and development. Formal discussion, by instructor, of genetics and the relationship between genotype and phenotype, followed by student-led discussion based on assigned readings.

211 Faculty Research Colloquium (2) F. Research interests of faculty participating in the graduate program in Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry are presented in weekly meetings. Corequisite: enrollment in the graduate program in Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry.

231B Developmental and Cell Biology (4) W. Lecture, three hours. An advanced, integrated view of cell biology. Topics include the cell cycle, the cytoskeleton, the extracellular matrix, signal transduction, the cellular basis of development, and the cell biology of cancer. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Concurrent with Biological Sciences D154.

231C Pattern Formation and Embryogenesis (4) W. Lecture, three hours. Development of animal eggs from fertilization until morphological specialization. Emphasis on two processes: pattern formation and morphogenesis. Patterning is studied genetically, experimentally through regeneration, and theoretically. Morphogenesis is analyzed in terms of cell behavior. Attention to the role of extracellular matrices in both processes. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

231D Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Neurobiology (4) W. Lecture, three hours. Molecular aspects of the structure and function of neurons and glia including neurotransmission, synaptic modulation, and channels. Neural development at the cellular and molecular level including neurogenesis, pattern formation, trophic factors, axonal growth, and synaptic rearrangement. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

231E Plant Cell and Development (4) S. Lecture, three hours. Organization: cell wall; cytoplasm; organelles. Differentiation: meristem; specialized cells. Development: cell division; fertilization; embryogenesis; cell culture. Transport and communication: xylem and phloem; plasmodesma; hormones. Interactions with other organisms: galls and crown gall; symbiosis; pathogens; genetic engineering. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

232 Systems Cell and Developmental Biology (4) W. Introduces concepts needed to understand cell and developmental biology at the systems level, i.e., how the parts (molecules) work together to create a complex output. Emphasis on using mathematical/computational modeling to expand/modify insights provided by intuition. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Same as Biomedical Engineering 213.

233 Topics in Corporate and Translational Research (1) S. Speakers are drawn from biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and university faculty. Emphasis is on basic and applied research in a corporate environment, and academic research with strong potential for clinical and commercial applications. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. May be repeated for credit.

245 Stem Cell Biology (4) F. The basic characteristics and development roles of embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells in the human body and in model systems and the use of experimental and genetic methods to analyze and manipulate their properties.

285 Optical Biology Methods (4) F, W, S. Seminar, three hours. Training and experience in the latest technologies for analyzing and manipulating cell structure and function by advanced optical methods. Includes confocal microscopy, image analysis, video/time-lapse microscopy, functional and physiological imaging, FRET imaging, flow cytometry, cell sorting, and optical scissor/tweezer technologies.

290A-B-C Colloquium in Developmental and Cell Biology (2-2-2) F, W, S. Colloquium, one and one-half hours. Contemporary research problems. Research students, faculty, and other invited speakers introduce research and review topics.

292A-B-C Scientific Communication (2-2-2) F, W, S. Seminar, two hours. Small group meetings for graduate students to practice scientific writing, debate, and presentation skills. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. May be repeated for credit.

293 Seminar in Interactive Teaching in Biology (2) F. Students receive formal training in use and assessment of interactive teaching strategies in university-level biology classes. Additional aspects of course design and implementation are covered. Recommended for graduate students who have or will be teaching discussion sections. May be taken for credit two times.

399 University Teaching (4-4-4) F, W, S. Limited to Teaching Assistants. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.