Zebrafish Development and Genetics Directors: David Raible, University of Washington, and Michael Granato, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Course Date: August 5 - August 18, 2012 Online Application Form, Deadline: April 2, 2012 2012 Schedule (pdf) | Course Website

Over the past 20 years, the zebrafish has emerged as a powerful model system for the study of vertebrate development and disease. This intensive two-week course for advanced graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and independent investigators will focus on the development and genetics of zebrafish. The course will cover time proven as well as novel technologies geared towards their application in zebrafish. Mornings and afternoons will be devoted mainly to laboratory exercises and the evenings to lectures and discussion. Limited to 22 students.

Lectures and labs in the first week will introduce students to early development of the zebrafish and to methods for manipulating and studying gene function, including genetic and small molecule screening, mapping and cloning; mRNA overexpression and functional knockdown approaches; cell fate mapping; mounting and imaging of antibody and in situ samples for publication ready documentation. In the second week, students will be introduced to labeling and visualizing individual cells, photoconversion and live cell imaging, cell transplantation/chimera analysis, and to performing behavioral tests on live animals. Informal ‘roundtable’ discussions held periodically during the course include the design and execution of mutant screens/reverse genetics, transgenesis and zebrafish breeding and husbandry.

Each laboratory exercise will be under the supervision of a senior faculty member who will be assisted by one or two junior faculty members. Senior faculty will give research lectures about their work, in addition to leading discussions on topics covered in the course.