Model Organisms and Approaches in Developmental Biology

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Funds are requested for support of scientists and students (15 United States-based and 15 Latin America-based) to participate in "Model Organisms and Innovative Approaches in Developmental Biology," a satellite short course of the Second International Meeting of the Latin American Society of Developmental Biology (LASDB) in Juquehy, Sao Paulo, Brazil, April 27-May 4, 2005. The course will expose the students to the fundamental questions and research tools used in developmental biology. The lecturers were selected primarily for the excellence of their research in respective fields, and willingness to continue collaborative efforts after the course. They will give a balanced view of the potentials and limitations of several different, mainstream, as well as emerging model organisms and technologies. As a special feature, five Latin American speakers working with genomic and morphological aspects of indigenous organisms will present their results, giving the students a first-hand view of the opportunities available to exploit the diversity of the Latin American Biome. The roundtable and poster sessions will provide additional opportunities for participants to discuss specifics of their projects, as well as different methods to teach developmental biology. Students will be selected from applications submitted by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the United States, and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and new faculty from Latin America, based on previous experience and interest in the field. The short course serves the following purposes: 1) Training of a cadre of new investigators in the Americas eager to use innovative approaches and indigenous model organisms to expand the knowledge base and understanding of developmental processes. 2) Fostering senior and junior investigators to a culture of borderless cooperation in mutually supportive alliances that will further advances in the field. 3) Providing an open forum for discussion on current topics in developmental biology of relevance to education and science policy in the participating countries and the Western Hemisphere.