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Gene Regulatory Networks and Network Models in Development and Evolution

 April 12-14, 2016; Irvine, CA
 Organized by Neil Shubin (University of Chicago), Ellen V. Rothenberg (California Institute of Technology) and Douglas H. Erwin (National Museum of Natural History)
 In Memoriam - Eric Davidson (California Institute of Technology) 1937-2015



Overview

This colloquium was held at the Beckman Center in Irvine, CA on March 12-14, 2016.

Recent studies of developmental gene regulatory networks (dGRNs) provide a mechanistic basis for understanding the developmental foundation of evolutionary innovation. Such studies challenge the orthodoxy of evolutionary biology’s Modern Synthesis, revealing details of morphologic evolution that cannot be encompassed by earlier theories. In this colloquium we propose to bring together a diverse array of scientists studying dGRNs and their developmental and evolutionary impact. The colloquium speakers included developmental biologists, biophysicists, modelers, immunologists, paleontologists and evolutionary biologists, and given the broad interest and recent advances in this topic. The focus of the meeting was on systems where the mechanistic basis of morphologic evolutionary innovations has been elucidated, principally (though not exclusively) at upper phylogenetic levels, i.e., origins of major body parts and how they have evolved.. Many different systems will be represented and the major issues of this field will emerge: how have large changes in body part evolution occurred at the regulatory network level? What accounts for the remarkable stability of phylum and class level body plan characters, many of which have remained with us since the Cambrian? How do differentiation gene batteries evolve? Can we utilize the unifying logic of dGRNs to approach all these major phenomenological and mechanistic problems?

Videos of the talks will be availble soon on the Sackler YouTube Channel.

Agenda

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Distinctive Voices Public Lecture
Neil Shubin, University of Chicago, Finding Your Inner Fish

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Session I: Mechanisms of evolutionary change in body plans

The evolution of the segmentation gene network in arthropods, Michael Akam, University of Cambridge

The fossil record and early evolution of arthropods, Allison Daley, Oxford University

Evolutionary changes in GRNs for novel structures in Echinoderms, Veronica Hinman, Carnegie Mellon University

Paleogenomics of echinoids, David Bottjer, University of Southern California

The role of gene regulatory network evolution in novelty and innovation of animal body plans, Douglas Erwin, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Session II: Genomic mechanisms controlling body part development

Evolution of the Hox gene regulatory network for hindbrain segmentation, Robb Krumlauf, Stowers Institute for Medical Research

Molecular and cellular strategies that underlie skeletal muscle and heart formation, Margaret Buckingham, Institut Pasteur

Homeotic control of eye specification in Drosophila by epigenetic enzymes and transcription factors, Justin Kumar, Indiana University

Regulatory system for sea urchin gut organogenesis, Isabelle Peter, California Institute of Technology

Flash Poster Talks

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Session III: GRNs in nervous system development and evolution

Evolution of the nervous system: a cell type perspective, Detlev Arendt, European Molecular Biology Laboratory

Gene regulatory circuitry underlying neural crest development and evolution, Stephen Green, California Institute of Technology

A gene regulatory network for morphogen directed spinal cord patterning, James Briscoe, MRC National Institute for Medical Research

Mechanisms and evolutionary significance of animal germ cell specification, Cassandra Extavour, Harvard University

Evolution of the brain and complex behavior in Lake Malawi cichlids, Jeffrey Todd Streelman, Georgia Institute of Technology

Session IV:  GRNs in development and evolution of hematopoietic cell systems

Gene regulatory networks driving blood stem cell development, Roger Patient, University of Oxford

Regulatory network control of blood cell development, Bertie Gottgens, University of Cambridge

Transcription factor action and gene network logic in early T-cell development, Hao Yuan Kueh, California Institute of Technology

Evolution of adaptive immunity in vertebrates, Max D. Cooper, Emory University

Session V: GRN models in development and evolution 

Logical modeling of cell fate decisions, Denis Thieffry, Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure

Data-driven models and animations of developmental dynamics, Stanislav Shvartsman, Princeton University

Closing remarks, Douglas Erwin, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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