Exploring the evolution of the neuromesodermal progenitor population in the anamniote to amniote transition

主题：世界级支持生物科学神经中胚层祖细胞(NMP)在小鼠和小鸡胚胎中有很好的特征，但在羊水胚胎中没有。这个博士项目将调查NMPS在斑马鱼发育中的作用，并将其与目前从羊膜研究中已知的进行比较。我还将在其他生物体上开展一些工作，包括雏鸟和猫鲨胚胎，以及可能的其他生物。这一切都将使用诸如原位杂交链式反应(HCR)、实时成像、细胞谱系追踪、功能扰动和形态计量分析等方法来完成。总而言之，这些研究将帮助我们构建不同脊椎动物的NMP行为模型，这将为我们提供洞察，了解共同的发育计划如何以及为什么在脊椎动物中以不同的方式进化。HCR方法是一种相对较新的方法，它提供了定量的、亚细胞分辨率的基因表达数据。使用共焦成像和Imaris软件，我将分析这些数据，并进行形态计量分析。这两条调查路线也将涉及一些统计分析。此外，我们希望与一位未来的博士后研究员合作，为我们的观察建立数学模型。

Theme: World-Class Underpinning BioscienceNeuromesodermal progenitors (NMps) have been well characterised in mouse and chick embryos, but not in anamniote embryos. This PhD project will investigate the role of NMps in zebrafish development, and compare this to what is currently known from amniote studies. I will also carry out some work on other organisms, including chick and catshark embryos, and potentially others. This will all be done using methods such as in situ hybridisation chain reaction (HCR); live imaging; cell lineage tracing; functional perturbations; and morphometric analyses. Together, these lines of investigation will help us to construct models of NMp behaviour in different vertebrates, and this will provide insight into how and why shared developmental programmes have evolved in different ways among the vertebrates. The HCR method is a relatively new method which provides quantitative, sub-cellular resolution gene expression data. Using confocal imaging and Imaris software, I will analyse this data, as well as carry out morphometric analyses. Both of these lines of investigation will also involve some statistical analysis. Additionally, we hope to work with a prospective post-doctoral fellow to create mathematical models of our observations.