Sample projects for Part II Genetics
Genetics Part II students undertake a project in the Lent Term. Most are lab-based 'wet' projects, but 'dry' projects are also possible. The project is expected to occupy about 160 hours over 9 weeks. A short presentation is given at the end of the Lent Term, and a written project report [up to 3500 words] is submitted. Together with the extended essay, this accounts for 25% of the final marks
Projects offered for 2012/13 included:
- Generating tools for targeted expression in Drosophila inhibitory neurons
- Evolutionary dynamics of carriage and disease in Bacteria
- Do flies acquire immunity to viral infection?
- Silencing of chalcone synthase (CHS) in Arabidopsis
- Human topoisomerase 2α, SUMO and the centromere
- What are the phenotypes of mutations in Drosophila spastic paraplegia genes?
- Transcription factors that may regulate tissue or developmental-stage specific expression in Drosophila
- How can we learn the most relevant functions in annotation-rich genes?
- Protein functions in centriole biogenesis - looking for missing molecules of the jigsaw
- Study of the variables controlling differentiation of ES cells
- Application of in silico tools and techniques in translational research to uncover cross-species disease relationships
- Mesodermal reporter expression in transgenic Drosophila embryos
- What affects the rate of protein clearance in the brain?
- Exploring the role of Miranda in asymmetric cell division
Projects offered for 2011/12 included:
- Investigating polarity factor interactions using proteomics
- High throughput analysis of microtubule regulators in human cancer cells
- Outcross effects and transgene silencing in Arabidopsis
- High resolution microscopy and live cell imaging to dissect the centrosome behaviour in the context of protein kinase inhibition
- Hidden epistasis and the evolutionary maintenance of sex
- Does Indole Inhibit Plasmid Replication via DNA Gyrase?
- Cyclin-dependent kinase - mediated control of spindle polarity in budding yeast
- Functional validation of direct Sox gene targets in the Drosophila CNS
- What does the recX gene do?
- Study of generic suppressors of proteinopathies
- Analysis of transition states in mouse embryonic stem cells
- Testing the role of proposed interactors of Aurora-A kinase
- Wolbachia bacteria in mosquitoes
- Screen for new chromatin regulators that function with heterochromatin proteins
- Identification of the molecular bridges between the APC/C and the centrosomes in Drosophila cells
Some of the work undertaken in Part II projects has contributed to published research. For example:
- Chan et al (2013) Optinising homing endonuclease gene drive performance in a semi-refractory species : The Drosophila melanogaster experience. PLoS One 8: e54130 [Ruth Glauert, Pt II 2011; Eleanor Whiteway, Pt II 2009]
- Johnson et al (2009) Studying vertebrate topoisomerase 2 function using a conditional knockdown system in DT40 cells. Nucleic Acids research 37: e98 [Sophia Bennett, Pt II 2008]
- Chen et al (2007) Multiple protein phosphatases are required for mitosis in Drosophila. Current Biology 17: 293-303 [Osh Kar, Pt II 2006]
- Wang et al (2007) Drosophila spichthyin inhibits BMP sinaling and regulates synaptic growth and axonal microtubules. Nature Neuroscience 10: 177-185 [Rob Shaw, Pt II 2004]
- Berger et al (2005) Lithium rescues toxicity of aggregate-prone proteins in Drosophila by perturbing Wnt pathway. Human Molecular Genetics 14 : 3003-3011 [Sean Tenant, Pt II 2005]
Page updated 18 March 2013
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