? Credit Points : 10  ? SCQF Level : 10  ? Acronym : BIO-4-DBbiosys

1. Coping with Complexity: viewing life as a 'complex system', and why this is helpful. Self-assembly versus self-organization. Overview of developmental cell biology and of the rest of the module. 2. Gene expression: regulation, contingency and computation. 3. Genetic networks; spontaneous organization and emergence of high-level functions from connection of simple genes. Redundancy, robustness and graceful failure. 4. Connecting genetic networks to the rest of the body: signal sensing and cytoplasmic computation. 5. Controlling proliferation of cells and growth of tissues 6. Programmed cell death, the trophic theory 7. Adaptive self-organization as a key property of developing animals. 8. Cell movement: mechanisms and internal regulation 9. Navigation by cells: maps, mechanisms and the cell's internal 'compass'. 10. Embryonic origami: the bending and branching of epithelia. 11. Integration of development between different cells, tissues and organs 12. Revision and clinical perspective: cancer as mis-regulated development. Problem sessions; Computer sessions

? This course is not available to visting students.

? Pre-requisites : Permission of the Curriculum Approval Officer.

? Costs : Notepads

Home subject area

Developmental Biology, (School of Biological Sciences, Schedule K)

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) 45 minutes per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date Start End Room Area Additional Information 21/09/2007 11:00 : Lecture Room 712, Darwin Building + Outhouses KB

All of the following classes

Type Day Start End Area Lecture Friday 11:10 13:00 KB

Increased understanding of Biological processes. Detailed learning outcomes will be provided later.

Exam, week 12, Semester 1

Exam times

Diet Diet Month Paper Code Paper Name Length 1ST December 1 - 2 hour(s)

The Course Secretary should be the first point of contact for all enquiries.

Course Secretary

Ms Lesley Cochrane
Tel : (0131 6)51 6210
Email : Lesley.Cochrane@ed.ac.uk

Course Organiser

Dr Val Wilson
Tel : (0131 6)50 6424
Email : V.Wilson@ed.ac.uk

School Website : http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/

College Website : http://www.scieng.ed.ac.uk/