Developmental Biology

1. Developmental Genetics
   1. Model Organisms
      1. Drosophila melanogaster
         1. Genetic tools and resources
         2. Key developmental pathways studied
            1. Segmentation genes
            2. Homeotic genes
         3. Contribution to understanding of axis formation
      2. Caenorhabditis elegans
         1. Cell lineage tracing techniques
         2. Role in discovering programmed cell death
         3. Insights into dauer stage and its genetic regulation
      3. Zebrafish
         1. Transparent embryos for live imaging
         2. Use in cardiovascular and neural development studies
         3. Genetic screens to study embryonic lethal mutations
      4. Mouse Models
         1. Knockout and transgenic mouse technologies
         2. Modeling human genetic diseases
         3. Study of mammalian organogenesis and stem cell maintenance
   2. Genetic Screens and Mutagenesis
      1. Forward genetics approach
         1. Random mutagenesis techniques
            1. Chemical mutagens (e.g., EMS)
            2. Radiation mutagenesis
         2. Phenotype-driven screens
      2. Reverse genetics strategies
         1. Targeted gene knockouts
         2. RNA interference (RNAi) technology
      3. Large-scale mutagenesis programs
         1. ENU mutagenesis in mouse
         2. CRISPR/Cas9-based mutagenesis screens
   3. CRISPR and Gene Editing Technologies
      1. CRISPR/Cas9 system
         1. Mechanism of action in genome editing
         2. Design of guide RNAs for specificity
         3. Applications in creating gene knockouts and knock-ins
      2. Off-target effects and their minimization
      3. Base editing and prime editing
         1. Advantages over traditional CRISPR edits
         2. Applications in precise gene correction
      4. Ethical considerations and regulatory aspects
   4. Regulatory Elements of Developmental Genes
      1. Enhancers and silencers
         1. Methods to identify and characterize them
         2. Role in spatiotemporal gene expression regulation
      2. Promoter regions and transcription factor binding sites
         1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays to study interactions
      3. Non-coding RNAs in development
         1. MicroRNAs and their involvement in gene regulation
         2. Long non-coding RNAs and developmental processes
   5. Genetic Networks and Pathways
      1. Signaling pathways critical for development
         1. Notch, Wnt, Hedgehog, and TGF-beta
         2. Cross-talk and integration between pathways
      2. Genetic regulatory networks
         1. Role in cell fate determination and tissue patterning
         2. Methods to model and analyze these networks
      3. Systems biology approaches to developmental genomics
         1. Computational models for genetic interactions
         2. Integrative omics analyses to map developmental pathways
   6. Evolutionary Developmental Genetics (Evo-Devo)
      1. Comparative studies of developmental processes across species
         1. Conserved and divergent genetic mechanisms
         2. Evolutionary origins of novel phenotypes
      2. Role of gene duplications and mutations in evolution
      3. Applying evolutionary principles to understand development
   7. Genetic Basis of Developmental Disorders
      1. Identification of genetic mutations causing congenital disorders
      2. Genotype-phenotype correlations
      3. Use of genetic models to study human developmental anomalies
      4. Future therapeutic strategies emerging from genetic studies