Master of Science

A fundamental problem in biology is how the complex set of multicellular structures that characterize an adult animal is generated from the fertilized egg. Recent advances at the molecular level, particularly concerning the genetic control of development, have been explosive. These advances represent the beginning of a significant movement in the biological sciences toward understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying developmental decisions and the resulting morphogenetic processes. This new thrust in developmental biology derives from the extraordinary methodological advances of the past decade in molecular genetics, immunology, and biochemistry. However, it also derives from groundwork from classical developmental studies, the rapid advances in cell biology and animal virology, and models borrowed from prokaryotic systems. The work is increasingly related to human diseases, including oncogene function and inherited genetic disease.