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PhD Position in Vertebrate Neurodevelopment and Evolution

Posted by , on 3 July 2017

Closing Date: 15 March 2021

A fully funded PhD position is available in the Laboratory of Regulatory Evolution (Tschopp group) at the Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland.
Our research interests focus on two main questions: How is phenotypic diversity generated during vertebrate embryogenesis? And how can developmental processes be modified to drive morphological evolution?
The present project will investigate the potential for developmental plasticity in the limb neuromuscular system in response to changes in dactyly, i.e. altering digit numbers. Specific questions we will address include: How are muscle patterning and motorneuron axonal pathfinding coping with changes in digit numbers in vertebrate hands and feet? How is motorneuron pool complexity in the spinal cord affected by additional digit targets in the periphery? We will use a range of methods, including experimental embryology in chicken, genetic mouse models, axonal backfilling, NextGeneration-Sequencing and functional experiments using gene knock-down and overexpression.
The project builds on solid foundations of confirmed preliminary data. For more information please visit http://evolution.unibas.ch/tschopp/research/index.htm
The successful candidate will have a Master (or equivalent) in developmental biology and/or molecular biology, and ideally will have skills in experimental embryology, neurobiology and NextGeneration-Sequencing. A basic understanding of Unix and the R language for statistical computing would be beneficial.
Please send your application with a brief statement of motivation, CV and contact(s) for references (where applicable) to patrick.tschopp@unibas.ch
Evaluation will begin mid-August 2017 and suitable candidates will be contacted shortly after – earliest starting date is Sept. 1st 2017.

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PhD student positions in sponge and coral EcoEvoDevo

Posted by , on 3 July 2017

Closing Date: 15 March 2021

Multiple PhD opportunities in EcoEvoDevo of sponges and corals are available at the Research School of Biology, Australian National University. The projects are related to regeneration, biomineralization, evolution of developmental gene regulatory networks and microbiomes, see http://biology.anu.edu.au/research/labs/adamska-lab-genomic-and-evolutionary-basis-animal-development for details. All projects provide exciting and varied research experience by combining cell and molecular biology approaches with bioinformatics and field work in temperate and tropical marine environments. The students will be based in the Adamska lab at the ANU, and will be involved in local, national and international collaborations. The successful candidates will commence the doctoral program in late 2017 or early 2018.

The positions come with substantial research and travel budgets, and the candidates are encouraged to apply for scholarships to fund personal living expenses. The ANU is administering domestic and international PhD scholarships ($26,682 per annum for a period of 3 years with a possibility of a 6-month extension). Scholarship application deadlines are 31st of August (international applicants) and 31st of October (domestic applicants).  Queries regarding scholarship matters can be directed to rsb.studentadmin@anu.edu.au. Shortlisted candidates will receive support in preparing the scholarship applications, with a possibility of internal funding for “near miss” applicants.

Interested candidates should contact Maja Adamska maja.adamska@anu.edu.au by July 31st 2017, providing current CV, 500-1000 words description of research interest including preference for one or more of the listed projects, and contact details for two academic references.

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Postdoc position in evo-devo at Sars Centre, Bergen

Posted by , on 26 June 2017

Closing Date: 15 March 2021

A 3-year postdoc position is available in the group of Dr. Patrick Steinmetz at the Sars Centre in Bergen (Norway) to study the evolution of animal nutrient and growth homeostasis .

The project is based on a tissue-specific transcriptome analysis comparing fed and fasting animals in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. The successful applicant will be involved in further validating some of the resulting signalling, neuronal or growth control genes and studying their functional role in nutrient and growth homeostasis. With that aim, the applicant will use and further develop state-of-the-art functional techniques (CRISPR, transgenesis) and combine those with a diverse range of physiological, imaging and molecular biology techniques available.

Further details on the application, position and contact details can be found here: https://t.co/RFzeVLAG9J

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Postdoctoral Position in Cardiovascular Development

Posted by , on 23 June 2017

Closing Date: 15 March 2021

A postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Sophie Astrof at Thomas Jefferson University to study roles of cell-extracellular matrix interactions during cardiovascular development and disease. My laboratory utilizes genetics, cell biology and confocal imaging to elucidate developmental and molecular mechanisms of aortic arch artery patterning and the formation of the cardiac outflow tract. These processes are essential for neonatal viability, and defects in the formation and remodeling of the outflow tract vasculature underlie common and severe forms of human congenital defects. Experience with genetic manipulation, embryology and cell biology is desirable. My laboratory is a part of a modern and well-equipped Center for Translational Medicine at Jefferson Medical College (http://www.jefferson.edu/university/research/researcher/researcher-faculty/astrof-laboratory.html) located in the heart of Philadelphia. To apply, send a letter of interest, CV and names and contact information of three references to sophie.astrof@gmail.com

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Postdoctoral position, Developmental Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Posted by , on 22 June 2017

Closing Date: 15 March 2021

A postdoctoral position is immediately available at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado in David Clouthier’s lab to study molecular mechanisms regulating facial morphogenesis. The laboratory is currently investigating the molecular and cellular functions of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors and non-coding RNAs in facial development, with an emphasis on understanding the regulatory landscape influenced by these factors and RNAs. This includes CRISPR/Cas9 model generation in mice and zebrafish. In addition, a systems biology approach is being taken to model early gene expression within the developing pharyngeal arches of mouse and zebrafish embryos in an attempt to create an in silico developmental program. Finally, new mutant mouse models being developed by KOMP2 are being screened in order to find novel genes regulating craniofacial and cardiovascular development. We use a combination of modern genetic approaches in both the mouse and zebrafish to address these topics.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. and a strong background in developmental biology. Experience with mouse genetics and/or zebrafish embryology is a plus. Salary support will be based on the current NIH pay scale. In addition, individuals will be encouraged and supported to submit fellowship applications as part of an overall mentoring program. Please send a cover letter of your research interests and past research experience, CV and contact information for three references to Dr. David Clouthier (david.clouthier@ucdenver.edu).

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Postdoctoral position, Genetics and Development of Morphological Evolution, University of Oklahoma

Posted by , on 21 June 2017

Closing Date: 15 March 2021

A postdoctoral position is available in J.P. Masly’s lab at the University of Oklahoma (www.maslylab.com) to study the genetic, developmental, and evolutionary bases of morphological variation among Drosophila species. Our research focuses on understanding how evolutionary change at the genetic level directs variation in development that gives rise to species-specific phenotypic differences.

The successful candidate will have a Ph.D., and will also have a strong background and research interests in evolutionary biology, developmental biology, and genetics. Candidates with experience in Drosophila genetics and molecular biology are particularly encouraged to apply. The initial appointment will be made for one year, with a possible extension up to three years. Salary will be commensurate with experience and the start date is flexible.

To apply, visit https://jobs.ou.edu and submit the following materials for job position number 171344:

— A cover letter explaining why you would like to join the lab group and a statement of research interests
— Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
— Contact details for two or three academic referees

Informal inquiries are welcome and should be sent to J.P. Masly (masly[at]ou.edu). For additional information visit http://www.maslylab.com/Opportunities.html.

The position is available immediately and will remain open until filled.

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Woods Hole images 2015, Round 2 – The winner

Posted by , on 21 June 2017

The votes are in for our latest Development cover competition with entries from the 2015 class of the Woods Hole Embryology Course. 

With 333 votes counted, we have a winner:

4th Place (13% of the votes) – Drosophila

3rd Place (25% of the votes) – Skate

2nd Place (26% of the votes) – Parhyale

1st Place (36% of the votes) – Crab

 

 

This cute crab was collected from a plankton tow Chiara Sinigaglia
 from the Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche sur Mer/ CNRS, France. Congratulations Chiara! And thanks to our other entrants Amjad Askary, Longhua Guo, Maike Getwan, Nick Shikuma and Elena Boer.

Look out for another round in the coming weeks.

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Photo Contest

Posted by , on 21 June 2017

Hello everyone!! My name is Nadia Edelsztein and I am a PhD student from Argentina working in the Reproductive and Development field!

I am addressing you all to ask for a big favour. I entered a photo contest a couple of weeks ago, held by the institute where I used to learn German. The idea was to show pictures that, somehow, made you see things differently or from a different perspective. I chose a photo of one of the control immunohistochemistry assays I have done during my PhD project. It is an epididymis section from a 9dpp mouse that got all curled up during mounting but still looks beautiful -to me, at least. I have entitled it “Neben” (,,Nebenhoden” is epididymis in German). Even though I do not compete for the big prizes, I am in the run for “people’s choice award” and it is the only picture related to Science. You can only vote once and through Facebook.

So…I would like to ask you all if you could vote for my photo and, if you wish to do so, share the link with friends, acquaintances, etc! I am posting my pic at the end of this message for you to see which one is it.

In order to vote, you will have to click the following link and a website will open (it is in Spanish, so I apologise for that). There, you have to click on my photo (if you want to do so…please want to do so!!) and the little circle next to it turns black. Then go to the bottom of the page and click on the green button that says “Enviar” (which means “send” in Spanish). After that, there will be something displayed on a new page (all in Spanish) saying something very similar to “Thank you for participating! The winners will be announced July 5th, etc”.

 

Link to vote: https://goetheinstitut.fbapp.io/b…/WAK8n5LzZRRA6LQzrwRNqbop…

 

Thank you all for taking the time to read this!! Thanks to The Node for allowing me to share this!! And I apologise for the long post!!

 

Here is Neben (isn’t it beautiful? ♥):

 

 

Cheers!!

Nadia

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NIH launches competition to develop human eye tissue in a dish

Posted by , on 21 June 2017

3-D Retina Organoid Challenge to spur breakthroughs in treating blinding diseases

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has opened the first stage of a federal prize competition designed to generate miniature, lab-grown human retinas. The retina is the light- sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. Over the next three years pending availability of funds, NEI plans to offer more than $1 million in prize money to spur development of human retina organoids.

“None of the model systems currently available to researchers match the complex architecture and functionality of the human retina,” said NEI Director Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D. “We are looking for new ideas to create standardized, reproducible 3-D retina organoids that can speed the discovery of treatments for diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease, both leading causes of blindness.”

Currently, more than 4.2 million people over age 40 in the U.S. are visually impaired or blind, and that number is expected to double by the year 2050.1 Major visual disorders among Americans have an estimated annual economic burden of more than $35.4 billion.2

Research models are more valuable the more closely they mimic human tissue. Researchers hope to use retina organoids to study how retinal cells interact under healthy and diseased conditions, and to test potential therapies.

 

Stage I: Ideas

The ideation stage of the 3-D Retina Organoid Challenge aims to generate innovative ideas that can later be turned into concrete concepts. Running until August 1, 2017, the total prize purse for the ideation stage is $100,000.

“We’re looking for creative insights and application of new technology to unleash the full potential of retinal organoids. Our goal is for researchers to be able to generate or obtain retinal organoids easily so that they can be widely used for understanding diseases and testing drugs,” explained Jessica Mazerik, Ph.D., NEI challenge coordinator. “To do this, we are encouraging entries from diverse teams of participants.” They may come from vision research, developmental and stem cell biology, tissue engineering, materials science, 3-D bioprinting, and other fields.

Stage I also has a special solver category exclusively for trainees, which includes graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and medical students. NEI has launched a discussion forum as a teambuilding space.

So far, nine sponsors have joined the challenge to support solvers through grants, access to expertise and discounted reagents, and in-kind testing.

 

Proposed Stage II: Development

The development stage of the challenge will require demonstration of a functional retina organoid prototype. This stage is planned to launch in fall 2017 and expected to offer $1 million in prize money.

Full details of the 3-D Retina Organoid Challenge prize competition are available at https://nei.nih.gov/3DROC.

 

References:

1. Varma R, Vajaranant TS, Burkemper B, Wu S, Torres M, Hsu C, Choudhury F, McKean-Cowdin R. Visual Impairment and Blindness in Adults in the United StatesDemographic and Geographic Variations From 2015 to 2050. JAMA Ophthalmol.134(7):802-809. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.1284 (2016).

2. Rein, D. B. et al. The economic burden of major adult visual disorders in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol. 124, 1754-1760. (2006).


 

You can also read a letter from the Director of the National Eye Institute, Paul Sieving, to Nature here:

https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v546/n7658/full/546352b.html


 

 

###

NEI leads the federal government’s research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs to develop sight-saving treatments and address special needs of people with vision loss. For more information, visit https://www.nei.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit https://www.nih.gov/(link is external).

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

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In Development this week (Vol. 144, Issue 12)

Posted by , on 21 June 2017

Here are the highlights from the current issue of Development:

 

Btbd7 branches out across multiple organs

Dynamic changes in epithelial cell-cell adhesion and motility are crucial for branching morphogenesis – the process by which highly branched epithelial organs, such as the lung and kidney, grow and develop from a simple epithelial bud. Although many key regulatory factors involved in branching morphogenesis have been identified, it remains unclear how they coordinate to control epithelial cell dynamics.

In this issue (p. 2200), the Yamada laboratory presents strong evidence for the essential role of Btbd7 in orchestrating epithelial remodelling during branching morphogenesis in the mouse lung, kidney and salivary glands in vivo. Specifically, the authors show that loss of Btbd7 in a knockout mouse model results in increased cadherin localisation to cell-cell junctions and reduced motility in the outer cells of epithelial buds. Conversely, Btbd7 overexpression in vitro leads to decreased cell-cell adhesion and increased cell motility. They further show that Btbd7 induces E-cadherin ubiquitination, internalisation and degradation in MDCK epithelial cells, providing a mechanism for how Btbd7 can control cell adhesion and migratory behaviour. Collectively, these data establish for the first time that the new regulatory molecule Btbd7 is required for successful in vivo branching morphogenesis of salivary gland, lung and kidney.

 

Female fertility: no bed of ROS(es)

Oocyte development involves extensive transcriptional and epigenetic changes in order to eventually produce a mature egg competent for fertilisation. Key to this process is the avoidance of apoptosis, but how anti-apoptotic genes are regulated during oogenesis remains largely undefined. Now, on p. 2165, Qinghua Shi and colleagues show that genetic deletion of histone acetyltransferase KAT8 specifically in mouse oocytes at the primordial follicle stage causes the defective development of follicles from the secondary follicle stage, which subsequently leads to female infertility. The authors observe significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the mutant oocytes, coincident with the downregulation of several antioxidant genes and show via chromatin immunoprecipitation assays that KAT8 regulates antioxidant gene expression by direct binding to promoter regions. Importantly, the authors are able to rescue the defects of folliculogenesis after Kat8 deletion in oocytes by antioxidant administration in mice. This study demonstrates for the first time that KAT8 represses ROS levels in oocytes by promoting the expression of antioxidant genes at the transcriptional level, and provides insight into the epigenetic regulation of female fertility.

 

Sox2+ pituitary stem cells on the MAP(K)

The MAPK/ERK pathway plays an important role in development and disease, with control over multiple cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, to name but a few. Despite its importance, little is known regarding its role in pituitary development and, specifically, in regulating the Sox2+ stem cell population therein. Now, on p. 2141, Scott Haston, from the Martinez-Barbera laboratory, and colleagues take a genetic approach to address the function of the MEK/ERK pathway during normal pituitary development, and relate this to human papillary craniopharyngioma (PCP), a form of benign but clinically relevant pituitary tumour. Using a MAPK gain-of-function mouse model, the authors demonstrate that constitutive activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway during pituitary development causes pituitary hyperplasia, abnormal morphogenesis and abnormal endocrine cell specification. This is due to sustained proliferation of the Sox2+ stem cell compartment, which results in an imbalance between proliferation and differentiation and, ultimately, an expansion of Sox2+ cells at the end of gestation. Looking at human PCP samples, the authors provide evidence that sustained proliferation of SOX2+ cells with reduced differentiation potential may contribute to the underlying pathogenesis of PCP. This study is an important step forward in understanding the role of the MAPK/ERK pathway in pituitary development, and sheds light on the possible pathogenesis of human PCP.

 

A new model for single-cell delamination

Epithelial cell delamination – the process by which individual epithelial cells detach from an epithelial layer – is a common phenomenon throughout development and can be observed across a wide range of species. Despite its prevalence, it remains unclear whether the mechanism that drives single-cell delamination varies according to the context and, if so, how.

In this issue (p. 2153), Yan Yan and colleagues investigate the mechanism of neuroblast delamination in the Drosophila embryo and find that it differs to that previously reported for epithelial homeostasis. Using an elegant combination of live imaging, genetics, pharmacology and mathematical modelling, the authors describe a new mechanism for cell delamination in which the neuroblasts undergo incremental apical constriction, which coincides with pulses of myosin accumulation at their medial apical cortex. By contrast, the accumulation of junctional myosin only has a weak correlation with apical constriction.

The authors demonstrate that the quantitative difference in the frequency and magnitude of myosin pulses critically determines whether a cell will effectively constrict, and further provide evidence for the possibility that this is regulated by the same signal that defines the neuroblast cell fate, namely, Notch. This study establishes a mechanism for cell delamination that is distinct from the previously reported mechanism, and opens up a new area of research into the possibility of Notch signalling upstream of dynamic cytoskeletal rearrangements.

 

MSPd signalling: new roles in muscle and reproduction

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease and motor neurone disease (MND), is a debilitating disease that causes the death of both cortical and spinal motor neurons, resulting in a loss of control over voluntary muscle. There is currently no cure for ALS, and the origin of the disease is largely unknown. In previous studies, VAMP/synaptobrevin-associated proteins (VAPs) have been associated with ALS and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA): specifically, the N-terminal major sperm protein domain (MSPd), which serves as an extracellular signalling molecule and which is mutated in some forms of familial ALS. In this issue, Sung Min Han, Michael Miller and colleagues investigate the molecular framework and functional consequences of MSPd signalling in C. elegans, with implications for muscle and gonad development.

In the first study (p. 2175), the authors focus on the role of MSPd in muscle formation, based on the expression of VPR-1, the C. elegans homologue of human VAPB. The authors show that secreted MSPds promote the localisation of mitochondria within the body wall muscle during development, and that this is dependent on signalling events that involve the CLR-1 Lar-like phosphatase receptor. Using a targeted RNAi screen of known genes implicated in ALS and SMA, the authors identified survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN-1) as a crucial downstream mediator of MSPd and further showed that SMN-1 and ARX-2 are important for mitochondria localisation along the I-bands in body wall muscle.

In the second study (p. 2187), the authors turn their attention to the role of VPR-1 in gonad development, an area in which the role of VPR-1 remains largely unexplored. Taking a genetic approach, the authors show that vpr-1 null mutants are sterile upon hatching, a defect in gonadogenesis that can be rescued by the expression of MSPd from almost any tissue, except for the somatic gonad itself. The authors further demonstrate that, under normal conditions, gonad development depends on germline and neuronal expression of vpr-1 and specifically on cleaved MSPd, which circulates in the pseudocoelom and induces gonadogenesis non-cell-autonomously, much like a hormone.

Together, these two studies represent a major step forward in our understanding of the function of the vpr-1 gene in C. elegans, and also demonstrate the utility of this organism in elucidating disease mechanisms.

 

 

Plus…

Human development, heredity and evolution

This Meeting Review of the 2017 RIKEN-CDB Symposium summarises recent progress in our understanding of human development, genetics and our evolutionary history.

 

Making muscle: skeletal myogenesis in vivo and in vitro

This Review discusses the mechanisms that underpin the formation of skeletal muscle during development and its recapitulation from pluripotent stem cells in vitro.

 

Development of the thyroid gland

This Review discusses the principal mechanisms involved in thyroid organogenesis, highlighting the factors involved in thyroid progenitor specification and the events occurring during thyroid gland morphogenesis.

 

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