Research Interests

Mechanisms of regeneration and development

Research Area

As a Developmental Biologist, I am interested in how a single cell, the fertilised egg, develops into a complex multicellular organism that progressively acquires the form and functions of its parents. It has become apparent through comparative studies that a handful of genetic pathways are used and re-used not only during early development, but also in the formation of different organs, tissue remodelling during metamorphosis and regeneration. I am interested in how the control of these pathways links development, repair and disease. My lab uses transgenic Xenopus laevis, the African Clawed Frog (pictured) to alter gene regulation during organ development and in regeneration. For teaching and project work, we use sea urchin and chick embryos to study development and planarian flatworms to study regeneration.

Current Members

Chapman, Phoebe (Post-doc)
Barker, Donna (Graduate Student)
Lynch, Joshua (Graduate Student)

Alumni

Contact

Institution: University of Otago

ILAR Code: Cbeck

Address:
Otago
New Zealand

Web Page: http://www.otago.ac.nz/Zoology/staff/beck.html