StudentResearchProfiles

2017EmbryologyCourseWoods,HoleMA

Optogenetic Control of Microtubule Dynamics

Rebecca Adikes University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Department of Biology – Slep Lab

I have developed, in collaboration with the Kuhlman lab at UNC, a novel optogenetic tool to spatially and temporally recruit proteins of interest to the microtubule plus end, allowing me to determine the spatial and temporal importance of microtubule associated proteins throughout the cell cycle. Thus far I have

used this tool to investigate the role of temporal cross-linking of the actin and microtubule networks. I hope that this tool can be transitioned into the organism, providing a means to investigate the spatial and temporal role of microtubule associated proteins during different stages of development at the subcellular level within a developing animal.

In my free time you can find me practicing yoga, aerial silks or the harmonium. I am currently working toward my 200hr registered yoga teacher certification.

Heads or tails: how do planarians decide what to regenerate?

James Cleland Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics

I’m most fascinated by the question of why some animals are endowed with the extraordinary ability to regenerate missing body parts, when others are less fortunate. I’m trying to tackle this problem in planarian flatworms – a group of animals that, in addition to being pretty cute, have a wide range of regenerative abilities. I’m specifically trying to work out how the “model” species Schmidtea mediterranea manages to regenerate its head (and brain!) in a little under a week, when many other

species, including a close relative from Australia called Cura pinguis, cannot. I’ve lived/studied/worked on three continents, but will always call Brisbane (Australia) home. When I’m not at the bench chopping worms, I like to travel to exotic and not-so-exotic places in search of new worms to chop.

Skeletogenesis and regeneration in the brittle star Amphiura filiformis

Anna Czarkwiani University College London

During my PhD I worked on arm regeneration in the brittle star Amphiura filiformis, which is a member of the echinoderm phylum of strictly marine deuterostome invertebrates. This brittle star can rapidly and efficiently regenerate its arms in response

to injury or autotomy, together with all the complex structures within, including the skeletal components, coelomic cavities, nervous system and muscles. I was primarily interested in the developmental aspects of the regeneration of the arm and skeletogenesis, namely the extent of proliferation occurring during this process, the cell types involved and the genes involved in cell fate specification and differentiation. I also compared adult arm regeneration to embryogenesis of A. filiformis, and found vast similarities in both the morphological aspects of skeleton formation and the underlying molecular program between these two developmental processes. This included a functional conservation of the role of FGF signalling in skeletogenesis both in embryos and adult regenerating arms.

I was born in Warsaw, Poland but I moved to the UK in 2008, where I ended up doing my BSc, MRes AND PhD at University College London. Other than spending half my time in London trying to explain what brittle stars are to both my fellow colleagues and friends and family, I enjoyed exploring London and eating as much excellent food as possible. I play a lot of video games and try to balance it out with the occasional sporty activities like rollerskating and speedmington (happy to explain in person). I am extremely excited about coming to Woods Hole this year and learning all about the embryology and regeneration of a wonderful range of animals!

Bounding Genetic Nonlinearities: in Fungi Fitness and Developmental Trajectory Transcription

Atray Dixit MIT

If you’ve ever played Jenga, you know that the blocks you can safely remove when it’s your turn depend on the blocks that have been removed before. In the tower that is a cell, the blocks are genes. I’ve been interested in trying to make approximations of the extent to which genes depend on one another by removing

different numbers of blocks and seeing if the tower falls. In the process, I’ve developed two new protocols to test large numbers of combinations of gene deletions and their effects: one for assaying fitness in yeast and another measuring transcriptional changes in mammalian cells.

I was born and raised on an island (originally from Queens, NY and moved out to Long Island for high school…according to Wikipedia it is the 149th biggest). My undergrad education is in mechanical and aerospace engineering, which inspired me to start training to get my private pilot’s license. For my PhD research, I made a big jump and switched to genetics/genomics. It’s been a tough transition, but I think I’m finally starting to get the hang of this pipetting thing.

For fun, I enjoy almost any kind of sport. Currently, I’m training for a marathon. If anyone wants a running partner for the summer, let me know!

Evolution of DNA Methylation

Jan Engelhardt Professorship for Bioinformatics,

University of Leipzig

Paragraph Description of Your Research

I am interested in the evolution of the enzymes responsible for establishing and maintaining DNA methylation (DNMT1 and DNMT3). They are present in all jawed vertebrates but show frequent loss or extension in other parts of the Metazoa. Therefore, we investigate the presence of DNMTs in Metazoa to gain further knowledge about their evolution and interaction. We do computational comparative sequence analysis of the DNMT enzymes in different invertebrate clades. Currently we are focussing on Neoptera and Nematoda.

I am also working on special cases of DNA methylation, like allele-specific one, and how its misregulation can lead to serious diseases in human, e.g. cancer.

Personal Information (include a few sentences describing something interesting about yourself or something you like to do for fun)

If I’m not at work I like to go scuba diving and explore the underwater world. Occasionally, I can combine both and work as a research diver.

Building a light-sheet microscope to study the early development of a polyclad flatworm

Johannes Girstmair University College London

The Spiralia (Lophotrochozoa) are a mostly marine clade, in which the majority of animal body plans is found. Despite their diverse appearance, these animals sometimes share a biphasic life-cycle with a ciliated larval stage, the trochophore larva, and undergo a renowned beautifully conserved developmental mode called spiral cleavage. This developmental conservation

across different phyla opens the door for comparative studies and gives a unique opportunity to better understand the evolution of body plans and marine larvae. I focused on the early development of Maritigrella crozieri, the marine tiger flatworm, form the tropical waters of Florida. Maritigrella also has a larval stage that shares similarities to a typical trochophore larva. I followed the development of this polyclad flatworm from a fertilized egg into an advanced stage of the embryo consisting of hundreds of cells using 4D light-sheet microscopy in order to see if it is possible to discern specific similarities in the way in which polyclad larvae and trochophore larvae are built and to see if there is evidence for them being homologous.

Coming from Austria where I grew up in a city close to Italy and surrounded by mountains is probably the reason why I like all kinds of winter and summer activities such as skiing, sledging, hiking and a bit of climbing. I really enjoyed my time as a PhD student in London for the last four years. One of my favourite food I encountered is Hakata Ramen. Absolutely delicious! All kinds of games are fun, from Ping Pong through video games to card and board games. I recently made my own ancient horse racing board game. It’s called Quadriga and not everybody likes it (yet). I think WoodsHole is a fantastic opportunity and I am very exciting for this hands-on experience with such a variety of animal species. See you there!

FAM83F and its role in early vertebrate embryo development

FAM83F is a member of the previously uncharacterized and poorly understood FAM83 family of proteins. Previous studies into this gene family have focused primarily on cancer, as all members of the FAM83 family are implicated in oncogenesis. More recently, studies in our lab have linked FAM83F (and FAM83G) with the canonical Wnt signalling pathway in early vertebrate embryo development. My project aims to elucidate the role of FAM83F in development, particularly in relation to its interaction with Wnt signalling regulators and effectors, such as casein kinase 1 (CK1) using Danio rerio as a model. This will not only increase our understanding of early developmental events, but by precisely positioning FAM83F in the Wnt signalling pathway, it will increase our understanding of the regulation of this fundamental signalling pathway, dysregulation of which is often implicated in the disease state.

Prior to returning to study, I spent four and a half years travelling around the world, including the Americas, Europe, SE Asia and Australasia. Now living in London, when I’m not in the lab I love to both run and cycle and explore this city I now call home. I enjoy good music, sunshine, the outdoors and good company.

Rebecca Ann Jones The Francis Crick Institute

How to make a slug: Exploring the evolution of shell loss within the gastropod clade Heterobranchia

Vanessa Knutson Harvard University

Project

For my PhD dissertation, I am focusing on the evolution of shell loss within the gastropod clade Heterobranchia. I am currently using transcriptomes to reconstruct a robust phylogeny to place the multiple independent instances of shell reduction and loss in an evolutionary context. Next, I

plan to focus on the sea hare Phyllaplysia taylori. Because the presence of an internalized shell is variable within adults of P. taylori, I plan to use the species as a model for studying shell loss. I am first investigating the taxonomic status of P. taylori as well as searching for alleles that may be associated with shell presence/absence using modern population genomics techniques. Subsequently, using differential gene expression, I plan to search for candidate genes that may be correlated with the variability of shell presence in P. taylori. I am looking forward to learning some new techniques in the MBL Embryology course that will inform my exploration of the genetic and developmental basis for shell-loss in gastropods. I am excited to contribute to our growing understanding of biomineralization and shell variation in mollusks and set the foundation for future research in shell loss using P. taylori. Personal Information

My background includes working for several years as an informal science educator. Apart from sea slugs, I'm a big fan of science museums, SCUBA diving, underwater photography and videography, traveling, listening to music and crafts. In the last year, I have taken up glass fusing as a hobby. Marine organisms are a constant inspiration for my art projects and I hope to continue to learn additional glass working techniques in my spare time.

MULTICILIATED CELL DEVELOPMENT DURING RENAL ONTOGENY

Amanda Marra University of Notre Dame

My research is focused on uncovering the genetic mechanisms of multiciliated cell (MCC) genesis during zebrafish kidney

ontogeny. The zebrafish embryonic kidney, or pronephros, is comprised of two epithelial cell populations: transporter cells and MCCs. Like populations of transporter cells make up the different nephron segments, where MCCs are dispersed throughout the nephron tubule and function in fluid propulsion. Though they have been noted in a handful of mammalian kidney disease cases, MCCs are not found in healthy mammalian nephrons. However, MCCs are common to other mammalian organs, such as the trachea. By examining MCC fate in the zebrafish pronephros, I hope to further understand their role in nephrogenesis of lower vertebrates in addition to building on the conserved developmental signaling pathway that regulates MCC development.

I have a 3-year-old boxer named Rudy who gallops instead of runs, thinks everyone and everything wants to be his best friend, and likes to make Chewbacca noises.

Notch signaling in preimplantation development

Sergio Menchero CNIC (Madrid, Spain)

My project consists on studying the role of the Notch pathway during the first lineage choice that takes place in the mouse embryo. It occurs before the embryo implants

into the maternal uterus and leads to the segregation of two populations: the trophectoderm (extraembryonic lineage) and the inner cell mass (embryonic lineage). I am analyzing the temporal dynamic of Notch activity, its interaction with the Hippo pathway and the components that are involved. The cooperation of pathways strengthen the idea that lineage determination at early stages is conferred through combinatorial inputs and I want to understand how this interplay is modulated in order to restrict specific fates.

Apart from research, the activity that I spend more time on is musical theater. I am part of a theater group at the university and we have performed some plays. I also like scuba diving, although I cannot enjoy it very often.

Control of mesendoderm induction in zebrafish Tessa Montague Harvard University

During development, the vertebrate embryo transforms from a ball of undifferentiated cells to a system of specialized cells in a matter of hours. One of the critical steps during development is the formation of the three germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. The endoderm and mesoderm (mesendoderm) are patterned by the Nodal signaling pathway, a form of TGF-beta signaling, in which the Nodal ligand forms a concentration gradient that induces target gene expression in a concentration-dependent manner. While the mechanism of mesendoderm patterning by Nodal is considered to be largely resolved, my

thesis work has shed light on an additional, critical player in this pathway called Vg1. Although Vg1 is expressed throughout the early zebrafish embryo, it is trapped inside the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in an inactive state. At the onset of zygotic transcription, when Nodal is expressed in a subset of cells, it binds to Vg1 in the ER, resulting in heterodimer formation. The Vg1-Nodal heterodimer is secreted into the extracellular space where it activates target receptors to induce the mesendoderm.

I was born and raised in London, England but I’ve spent the last 6 years in Boston doing my PhD in Alex Schier’s lab. I miss salt and vinegar Hula Hoops and Nando’s, but I enjoy the upgrade to beautiful blue skies. Outside of the lab I dance and teach salsa, and I squeak when I see fluffy animals.

My fun fact: later this year an experiment I’ve been preparing will be launched into outer space..!

Chicken domestication from an evolutionary development perspective

Daniel Elías Núñez León Institute of palaeontology and museum, University of Zurich

I study the developmental bases of morphological changes in domestication of bird species using a comparative approach (mainly

in chicken). I am focusing on the investigation of organogenesis, pattern of ossification, and morphological evolution in birds. Otherwise, I cultivate my interest in the conceptual bases of evolutionary biology and developmental evolution mostly on vertebrate animals

I am a Chilean just arrived to Switzerland, where I am starting my PhD studies. I love playing and watching football (soccer), listen to music (mainly psychedelic rock), going to museums, going to the beach, Chilean wine and to try new food. I think sharing something to eat and drink in nature is the best, even better if there are some birds to watch.

The development of olfactory ensheathing cells from the neural crest

Surangi Perera University of Cambridge

Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), the glia of the olfactory nerve, promote axon sprouting and remyelinate axons when grafted into spinal cord lesions. Our lab’s

discovery that OECs are derived from neural crest cells, not the olfactory epithelium as previously thought, potentially means that homogeneous populations of patient-specific OECs for spinal cord repair could be expanded in culture from the neural crest stem cells that persist in skin and hair follicles. First, we need to understand OEC differentiation and how OECs differ from Schwann cells (the neural crest-derived glia of all other peripheral nerves), which are less effective in spinal cord repair. Furthermore, molecularly distinct OEC subpopulations reside on the peripheral olfactory nerve and outer versus inner olfactory nerve layer of the olfactory bulb. The goal of my project is to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying neural crest differentiation into OECs, as opposed to Schwann cells. To achieve this, I am using an unbiased transcriptome profiling approach to identify candidate genes that could be important for OEC differentiation. Our lab and others previously showed that the transcription factor Sox10, which is required for Schwann cell development, is also required for normal OEC differentiation. I am using laser-capture microdissection on cryosections of mouse embryos carrying a Sox10:H2BVenus transgene to isolate OEC subpopulations and Schwann cells at different stages of their development, for RNAseq and cross-wise comparison of transcriptomes, to identify candidate genes that may be important specifically for OEC differentiation and that distinguish different OEC subpopulations.

I really enjoy traveling, experiencing new cultures, learning about the history of a place and exploring nature. I also love eating and trying out new food.

MOLECULAR GENETIC BASIS OF THE ORIGINS OF MULTICELLULARITY

Steven Plotkin University of British Columbia at Vancouver

I am a computational and theoretical biophysicist by training, but I have recently become involved in questions in evolutionary developmental biology, specifically the evolutionary origins of multicellularity, and the transition to somatic cell fate. So I am beginning to be involved in experiments to determine the critical genes involved in early

intercellular signaling and cooperativity in the developing sponge embryo, a basal multicellular metazoan, and in C. elegans, a model system more amenable to transgenic manipulation. I plan to perform heterologous expression experiments in C. elegans using CRISPR, for both sponge orthologs, as well as ancestrally-constructed genes, to explore issues in evolutionary neofunctionalization. I am hoping that these studies will help us understand at the molecular level some of the key evolutionary events that led to the transition to multicellular life, and will give us a more fundamental understanding into how complex life as we know it can arise.

I used to play guitar and sing quite a lot—now I’m completely out of practice unfortunately. But if called upon I may be able to give a pathetic rendition of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars”. I have a goal this year to run a 5 minute mile. Since I was a kid, I’ve been able to fold my tongue into a 3-leaf clover shape. I’ve heard it’s quite uncommon.

Stabilization through mechanical design: Evolution of animal bodies and biologically inspired engineering

Paragraph Description of Your Research

Physicalandmechanicalconstraintshaveconsequencesfortheevolutionofanimal’smorphology.Onesuchconstraintistheneedtomaintainstabilityinbiologicallysignificantactivities.Animalsovercomemishapsduringlocomotionandgraspingcriticalforpreyavoidanceandduringcompetitionforfoodandspace.Oftentimes,animalsusethesensoryfeedbackcommandsforstability.However,sensoryfeedbackisslowrelativetothetimescaleofmanymechanicalinstabilities.Therefore,studyingfastinstabilitiesprovidesavaluablesystemtointerrogatethemechanicaldesignstrategiesthatanimalshaveevolvedtocopewithinstabilities.Thisgeneratesanunderstandingoftheunderlyingmechanicsofanimalfunction,andalsodesignguidelinesforrobotarchitecture.

Myresearchaddresseshowstabilityconstrainstheaspectratioofanimalbodies,aspectratioofaflexuraljointandthecontroloffingerposturewhenthefingertipisexertingforces.Smalleranimalsaremoresprawledwitha“landscape”profileascomparedtothe“portrait”orientationofthelargeranimals.Formaintainingwholebodybalanceonearth-liketerrains,weshowthatsmalleranimalsneedalandscapeprofilethatbecomesincreasinglyportrait-likeasthesizeoftheanimalincreases.Duringstablegrasping,amuscle-likestiffness-tensionprofileisnecessaryformaintainingastablefingerpostureandfingertipcontact.Additionally,humansarelimitedbystabilityandnotthemuscularforceinthemaximumforcestheycanexert.Lastly,wefindthattherangeofmotionofflexuraljointsprevalentinlimbsofinsectsreliesheavilyonthestabilityoftheinterconnectingflexure.Themaximalrotationofaflexuraljointdecreaseswithanincreaseinthesizeoftheanimal.Inligamentousjointspredominantinlargeranimals,weidentifycommonphysicalandgeometricalprinciplesunderlyingjointmotion.

Personal Information

Ilovemountains!MybesttrekhasbeentotheEverestBaseCamp.Duringanothertrek,IspentanightinacavebehindawaterfallatopamountainandstaredattheMilkyWayforhours.Otherthanthat,Iamanamateurrockclimber,IlikereadingbooksandenactingtheLlamasong.

Neelima Sharma Yale University

Development of gill arch appendages: insights into the origin of paired fins

Victoria Sleight University of Cambridge

I am currently in the midst of a transition from PhD to Postdoc. My PhD research was carried out at the British Antarctic Survey, it aimed to understand how Antarctic and temperate molluscs build their shell in the context of different life stages (embryos to adults). Using a variety of different methods (traditional histology to ‘omics technologies) I found that molluscan biomineralisation is variable, transcriptionally dynamic, significantly affected by life stage and

inherently entwined with immune processes. During my postdoc I will be investigating the evolutionary development of gill arch appendages in jawed vertebrates. The jawed vertebrate body plan is defined largely on the basis of two anatomical features: jaws and paired appendages (i.e. fins or limbs). In the late 19th century, Carl Gegenbaur proposed that both jaws and paired fins were derived members of a primitive series of gill arches. These controversial hypotheses of serial homology were based largely on the pharyngeal skeletal anatomy of cartilaginous fishes (sharks, skates and rays). I will be using experimental embryological and comparative transcriptomic/genomic approaches to investigate and compare gill arch and paired fin/limb origin mechanisms in skate embryos. The research will yield insight into whether similarities in endoskeletal organisation that led Gegenbaur to propose gill arch origins of jaws and fins reflect constraints imposed by common developmental mechanisms (i.e. serial homology), or rather convergent evolution. I am also hoping to continue my work on molluscan biomineralisation using an evolutionary development approach.

I’m a marine biologist with a passion for the outdoors and nature. I’m very lucky to have travelled to the polar regions for field work. If I’m not busy being a scientist then you’ll find me climbing mountains, wild swimming, cycle touring, SCUBA diving or playing sports.

LIFE HISTORY OF AN ORGANIZER: WHAT DETERMINES TRANSIENT ORGANIZER FUNCTION IN HENSEN’S NODE

Tatiana Solovieva University College London (UCL)

‘Organizers’ are regions that play a fundamental role in development by inducing and patterning surrounding tissues. Organizer function is transient, yet mechanisms involved in transience are not fully understood. I investigate the role of cell movements in transient organizer function in Hensen’s node, an avian organizer that induces and patterns neural tissue. Labelling and tracking of node precursor populations reveals that exit of the ‘central’ population from the node correlates with loss of organizer function, suggesting that function depends on dynamics of constituent cell populations. I also investigate a possible role of the organizer as a stem cell niche. Hensen’s node is known to contain resident stem cells, but it is not clear whether it represents a stem cell niche. Through grafting experiments I show that the organizer is able to change the fate and molecular identity of cells that do not normally pass through it, specifying notochord, medial somite and resident cells. Following a re-graft into the organizer, induced resident cells continue to give rise to notochord, medial somite and regressing node. This shows that the node can induce and maintain resident cells, supporting a possible role for the organizer as a stem cell niche.

In terms of my hobbies, I enjoy being outdoors and particularly like a run in the countryside or the local park. Occasionally I take my running a step into a more challenging and muddier direction – taking part in organized running events and mud/obstacle runs. When the opportunity arises I also enjoy a bit of scuba diving. So far most of my dives have been in the UK, although I very much enjoyed the slightly warmer waters around the Canary Islands. I have also recently taken up climbing which I enjoy very much. In my spare time I like painting and drawing and have produced many a birthday card over the last few years. Living in London has also proved a great opportunity to explore theatre, concerts and a variety of exhibitions, a fun way to wind down after a day in the lab.

Migration and morphogenesis of neural crest cells in the context of craniofacial development of basal fishes

Jan Stundl Department of Zoology – Faculty of Science

My general research interest is focused on various aspects of head development in ray-finned fishes, especially in basal fish lineages (bichirs, sturgeons, and gars). I am nearly at the end of my PhD, which I do in the lab of Robert Cerny at the Charles University in Prague

(Laboratory for the Study of Craniofacial Evolution and Development). My PhD topic is dealing with cranial neural crest cells of basal ray-finned fishes in a comparative context of vertebrate head development. For example, my data on bichir reveal that the cells of the hyoid stream are notably accelerated when compared to other neural crest streams, unlike in other vertebrates. We have identified that this developmental heterochrony is developmentally associated with bichir external gills, which are uniquely situated on the hyoid arch. Further, we have studied this developmental heterochrony in the context of the whole hyoid metamere and we conclude that bichir external gills develop by a heterochronic acceleration of all germ layers within the hyoid metamere of developing bichir head.

Role of Otolin-1b in Otolith Nucleation and Attachment during Zebrafish Inner Ear Development

Kevin Thiessen Creighton University

The deflection of bio-mineralized crystals attached to vestibular hair cells is necessary for maintaining bodily

balance. Dislodgment or degradation of these crystals, called otoconia, can result in periodic episodes of dizziness and loss of balance that can lead to falls and bone fractures. The most common form of this balance disorder is known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), which affects 20-40% of patients diagnosed with vertigo. While the exact mechanisms of BPPV are still unknown, elevated plasma levels of a key otoconial protein, Otolin-1 (Otol1), has been proposed as an early clinical marker for BPPV susceptibility. In order to unravel the mechanisms of otoconia degradation and dislodgment, my approach is to understand the mechanisms of otoconia nucleation.

In my spare time, I am an avid volunteer at a local homeless shelter. Additionally, I participate in BioEYES, a community outreach program that using zebrafish to teach about genetics and stem cells. For fun, I like to go hiking, bird-watching and I grow several different types of orchids.

Deciphering the regulatory code specifying cellular diversity in the brain

Valerie Tornini Yale University

In my postdoctoral training in the Giraldez Lab, I am interested in

investigating regulatory mechanisms of neural development.

During vertebrate neurogenesis, neural progenitors differentiate

into hundreds of cell types to coordinate the activities required for

life. However, the combinatorial code responsible for specifying and maintaining different cell

fates in the vertebrate brain, and how this code is affected in neurodevelopmental disorders,

is still poorly understood. Thus, I am interested in three broad questions: How are multipotent

neural progenitors specified into mature cell types during development? What is the

regulatory code responsible for specifying distinct cell types in the vertebrate brain? And, how

is this code disrupted in neurodevelopmental disorders? My overall goal is to identify the

transcriptional codes that specify and maintain neural cell types in the vertebrate brain during

development and disease.

Outside of lab, I enjoy going on runs with my dog (but really, who’s taking whom?), playing

volleyball and tennis, Latin dancing, photographing nature, singing or playing instruments with

friends, and traveling.

Analysis of the regulatory role of the cephalic neural crest in craniofacial skeletogenesis and forebrain vasculogenesis

Zuzana Vavrušová University Paris-Sud / UCSF

I am working to understand the role of the cephalic neural crest cell population (CNC) in cranio-facial development. Particularly, I am interested in deciphering the role of CNC in cognitive functions and in the elaboration of social interactions at birth. CNC provides a functional cerebral vascular tree as well as skeletal and meningeal protections to the developing forebrain. I’m using avian embryos as a tractable model which enables embryological, biochemical, and behavioral analysis (filial imprinting) at birth. In the other part of my project, I am studying the development of species-specific jaw using theavian model as well.

I’m originally from a small town in Czech Republic. I love traveling, exploring different cultures and cuisines… so it’s no surprise that I moved to Paris where I lived in for two and half years. During this time, I accomplished a couple of things: I ate a lot of croissants and all kinds of cheeses of different stinky-ness, drank a lot of wine, and completed my master’s studies. I’m really passionate about food including growing it, preparing it as well as consuming it. I also like baking, hiking, running, reading, and knitting. I don’t like hot weather, chocolate, shopping, or palm oil in my food.

I’m really excited to come to Woods Hole and I’m looking forward to meeting all of you!

Evolution of scale insects: a look into their sexual dimorphism and genetic systems

Isabelle Vea The University of Edinburgh

My research interests surround understanding the drivers of scale insect diversity. Having previously worked on the systematics and phylogenetics of this phytophagous insect group (integrating fossil diversity in a divergence time study), I am currently focused in two main aspects linked to sex determination: first, what are the mechanisms of sex differentiation in this group? Scale insects are

characterized by a distinct sexual dimorphism that is the result of two distinct types of metamorphoses. I have been interested in using this group as study system to understanding the hormonal regulation behind these metamorphoses, in order to later understand if they shaped scale insect diversity. My second current project involves the mechanisms of sex determination. The most diversified groups of scale insects determine their sex via Paternal Genome Elimination (PGE) in male embryos. The mechanisms underlying PGE and how it originated remain poorly understood. My project aims at better understanding the mechanisms of PGE by exploring how B chromosomes found in some populations of the obscure mealybug manage to escape PGE, and further investigating any potential genetic conflicts between the maternal and paternal genomes. Originally from France, I lived in different countries for the sake of science, or I became a researcher to experience life in different countries (USA, Japan, Scotland, and maybe more in the future). I am as obsessed with scale insects as I am with fiber crafting: spinning, knitting, weaving, sewing, you name it.

COMPARATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRALIAN LARVAE

Bruno C. VellutiniMax Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics – Dresden, Germany

My primary research goal is to understand how embryonic development relates to the evolution of animal morphology. I am especially interested in uncovering the developmental mechanisms that underlie the evolution of larval forms in the spiralians (annelids, molluscs, etc) – a major animal group with

outstanding morphological diversity yet a remarkably conserved embryogenesis known as spiral cleavage. In my work, I investigate the development of understudied spiralians, such as bryozoans, brachiopods and nemerteans, combining live imaging, cell lineage and gene expression analyses, to reveal how spiralian development evolves.

During my PhD I helped my basketball team climb from the 4th to the 2nd division of the Norwegian Basketball Association (NBBF).

EvoDevo in Phase Space:

the Dynamics of Gap Gene Expression

Berta VerdKonrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution & Cognition Research (KLI)

Klosterneuburg, Austria

My Research:

Insects use two main modes of segment determination during development: the ancestralshort-germband mode (eg. Gryllus bimaculatus) where new segments are added sequentially, and themore derived long-germband mode (eg. Drosophila melanogaster), where all segments are determinedsimultaneously. In dipteran insects (flies, midges and mosquitoes), which use the long-germband mode ofsegmentation, the gap genes are activated by maternal gradients and cross-regulate each other to formthe first zygotic layer of regulation in the segmentation gene hierarchy. We reverse-engineered adynamical model of the gap genes in D. melanogaster from quantitative spatio-temporal expression datato characterise the dynamics of gap gene pattern formation along the embryo trunk. During my PhD Iused tools and concepts from dynamical systems theory and a new methodology that we developedspecifically to address the effect of maternal gradient dynamics in the patterning process. This approachshowed that two distinct dynamical regimes govern anterior and posterior trunk patterning in flies.Stationary domain boundaries in the anterior rely on multi-stability. In contrast, the observed anterior shiftsof posterior gap gene domains can be explained as an emergent property of an underlying regulatorymechanism implementing a damped oscillator. I identified a dual-function three-gene motif embedded inthe gap gene regulatory network, which is sufficient to recover both anterior and posterior dynamicalregimes. Which one drives gene expression in a given region depends on the gap genes involved.Interestingly, this sub-network - known as the AC/DC motif and found first in the context of neural tubepatterning - can also sustain oscillations. Oscillations are not found in the gap gene system but arecharacteristic of short-germband segmentation, suggesting that both modes share more than previouslythought. I think that studying the evolution of gene regulatory networks will tell us how oscillations arise orcease, and will help us understand how long-germband segmentation could have repeatedly andindependently evolved from the ancestral short-germband mode.

Personal Information:

Hello everyone! I'm really looking forward to the summer in Woods hole, the course and to getting to knowall of you. Until then, here's a little about me. I'm really into dogs, and the one in the picture in particular.Together, we form a clumsy but enthusiastic agility team. You can find me regularly out on slow runs andshort hikes. I love the sun and the sea, probably because I come from a Spanish island in theMediterranean called Mallorca. At the moment I'm living in Vienna, where instead of the sea we have theDanube, and the white wine is surprisingly good.