Functional genomics for development and disease of mesodermal organ systems

The brochure of Cells into Organs is now available!

The project aims to elucidate molecular and cellular processes underlying specification and differentiation of mesodermally derived organ systems. This knowledge provides the basis for organ and tissue engineering and will enable us to identify genes which function in building a specific organ or in a particular aspect of embryogenesis. In Training & Jobs you can find our workshops and symposia. The last workshop "Designing the Bodyplan " was a meeting about concepts which focussed on aspects which are important for the making the embryo’s main body axis. From August 31st - September 2nd the symposium "Mechanisms of early development: cell fate determination, morphogenesis and patterning " was held. A short interview was written by an attendee in the BSDB newsletter (pg 16). As part of “Stems Cells in Development and Disease” BSIK Consortium, Elaine Dzierzak organized the "Stem cells, Development and Regulation symposium.

Coordinating and integrating the activities in this network is being done in several ways. Formally through management activities as Joint Ph.D. projects, arrangements for the sharing resources between the network members and cutting out of duplication of research. But more informal tools are just as important. Building trust by working together, meeting eachother and creating a community, are essential for the durable integration of the network. Regular meetings (annual meetings, symposia), training activities (workshops) and even dissemination activities (Science Cafés, lectures, etc) are forging an integrated network. The proof of the integration lies in the collaborative projects. 

School exchanges

 This project is supported through Priority 1 (Life Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health) of European Union's FP6, Contract number: LSHM-CT-2003-504468 for 5 years from the 1st April 2004 and co-ordinated by Dr. Antony John Durston from the Institute of Biology in Leiden.