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Developmental biology deals with the various steps necessary for the correct and complete formation of the body of a living organism. You will be introduced to the mechanisms used to produce different cell and tissue types and ensure these cells develop in the correct position and identity. You will learn, using examples such as the eye and limbs, that similar developmental mechanisms are employed by diverse organisms. The role that developmental biology plays in medicine in stem cell therapy, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine will also be considered.

BIOL21172 Pre-requisite is BIOL10521

To provide a general introduction to the mechanisms used in both plants and animals to produce and position, during embryonic development, the many different cell types required to create a functional adult organism.

• To understand the basic mechanisms used to produce different cell types and to arrange cells in three dimensions during development.
• To understand how these basic mechanisms are linked to establish the axes and segments of the embryo.
• To appreciate that very similar mechanisms are used in very diverse organisms.
• To understand the role developmental biology plays in medicine.

A conceptual tool kit for development. These lectures will introduce the basic concepts and terms of developmental biology. In addition the general mechanisms by which cells adopt different fates will be described.

Maternal control of development and establishment of the major embryonic axes. In most organisms maternal information is deposited in the egg which is essential for the establishment of anterior-posterior (head-tail), dorsal-ventral (front-back) and left-right axes of the embryo during the very earliest stages of development. These lectures will cover the different strategies used in plants and animals during this process.

Segmentation, pattern formation and tissue identity. These lectures will cover the mechanisms by which different regions of the organism become specified. Examples include how segmentation occurs along the anterior-posterior axis in flies and vertebrates, and how organ identity and patterning is controlled in plants.

Conservation of developmental mechanisms. Rather surprisingly, the development of many organs is highly conserved between very diverse species including plants. For example, specification of the eye is very similar in flies and humans. These lectures will provide specific examples of these conserved mechanisms.

Application of developmental biology to modern medicine. Finally the importance of developmental biology in novel therapies in medicine will be discussed, covering stem cell therapy, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

e-Learning Activity

The unit will have a series of five scenario-based PBL exercises that simulate developmental biology experiments and cover important concepts from the course.

Written examination containing one essay question (70%, answering 1  out of 5 long essay questions) and one online ePBL examination (30%, 20 MCQ questions). 

Feedback is given throughout the semester by the completion of 5 ePBL exercises that simulate developmental biology experiments, and a discussion board. Within the ePBL exercises, there are quiz questions with feedback for incorrect answers. Also there are five formative quizzes.

• Gilbert, SF (2020) Developmental Biology (12th edition). Sinauer (Recommended) 
• Wolpert, L & Tickle, C (2019) Principles of Developmental Biology (6th edition). Oxford University Press (Recommended)

The year studying abroad is an integral part of the course and must be completed. Some costs, such as tuition fees, are substantially lower. Other costs can vary and are not included in the tuition fee. For example, living costs may be higher or lower than the UK, and there are travel-related costs to consider, such as paying for a passport, visa fees, health insurance, and (if needed) vaccinations.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's (PDF document, 91KB).

Students participating in placements outside the UK may be able to apply for funding from the depending on eligibility. Priority will be given to students from low income households.