One of the primary goals of the course is to introduce some of the exciting and
integrative new discoveries in the field of developmental biology.  The aim of this paper
assignment is to provide you with the opportunity to engage in a more in-depth analysis
of a selected topic that is of particular interest to you.  For a topic you may choose one
of the following:

(For those interested in medical applications):

     1.         Development of a specific cell type (eg  motor neurons, hair cells), tissue type
          (eg  muscle), or organ (eg heart, teeth).  The focus should be on normal and
          abnormal development of the specific cell type or organ.

     2.        The role of a specific gene in normal development as well as in abnormal
          development.

(For those interested in environmental developmental biology):

     3.   The role of an environmental contaminant or teratogen in normal and abnormal
     development.

(For those interested in evolutionary topics):

     4.   The development of a specific cell type or organ analyzed phylogenetically with
     the emphasis on delineating evolutionary comparisons.

     5.   The evolution of a gene or gene family.

 The paper should take the form of a review paper and should be approximately
8-10 pages in length (double-spaced).   You should consult a minimum of ten papers
from the current literature in order to write your review paper.   It should adhere to the
following guidelines:

     Introduction (1-2 pgs): in which you introduce your topic and state the general
     significance of the topic.

     Review of the Literature (4-5 pgs): in which you present an organized review/analysis of
     the current state of knowledge in the field.

     Future Directions (3-4 pgs): in which you discuss what experiments and directions
     should be pursued next.

Please note: you may have as much or as little overlap between this assignment and
the bioinformatics assignment.