electiveHQ

The purpose of the module is to introduce students to the subject of developmental biology; this topic covers all stages in the life of an animal or plant, from a single cell zygote to the death of the organism. The module will emphasise how the inherited genetic information of an organism (its genotype) gives rise to its phenotype. The module will describe basic processes in developmental biology, emphasising the idea that selective gene expression underlies cellular differentiation. Experimental strategies for study of developmental processes, and the relevance of model organisms, are described and students are encouraged to critically assess the advantages and limitations of these approaches. The practical element of the module addresses gene expression.