Spring
4, 1
How does a single fertilized egg cell give rise to a multicellular animal? Developmental biology is the discipline that tries to answer this question. In this class, we will search for that answer both in classical experiments and the most cutting edge modern research. Understanding embryonic development is a stepping stone towards understanding the evolution of animal diversity, adaptation of forms and functions, the onset of birth defects and cancer, and even the processes that make us each unique. In lab we will examine these processes in sea urchins, planaria and other animal models.