Developmental Physiology Laboratory - Honours projects available in 2009
An Honours project undertaken in this lab would be administered by the Discipline of Physiology.
Dr Margot Day's laboratory is interested in the cellular physiology of early embryonic development, which includes processes such as fertilisation, cell division and differentiation.
- Role of chloride channels in embryo survival
Supervisor + contact details:
- Dr Margot Day
We have shown that inhibition of Cl- channels at the 2-cell stage prevents embryo development. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms by which Cl- channel activity effects cell survival. Techniques to be used include patch-clamping, molecular biology and fluorescent measurement of intracellular ions.
- Role of ion channels and membrane potential in fertilization
Supervisor + contact details:
- Dr Margot Day
Oscillations in membrane potential occur immediately after sperm fusion with an oocyte. This project will investigate the ion channels responsible for these Em changes by using combined in-vitro fertilization, patch-clamping and fluorescent measurement of intracellular calcium.
- Ion channel expression and role in embryonic stem cell proliferation and pluripotency
Supervisor + contact details:
- Dr Margot Day
Nothing is known about the role of channels in ES cell proliferation and the maintenance of pluripotency. This project will use patch-clamping to investigate the expression of channels in ES cells and siRNA will be used to knock-out channel gene expression to study their function.
