Objective Darwin’s finches display an extremely high beak shape diversity associated with occupation of various ecological niches. They are the classic textbook example of adaptive radiation under natural selection. The supervisor of this proposal – Dr. Arkhat Abzhanov and colleagues previously used a combination of morphometrics, comparative developmental genetic and functional tests to reveal basic principles underlying beak shape morphogenesis. They showed that the enormous beak diversity in Darwin’s finches could be reduced to three “group shapes” (A, B, and C) and revealed molecular mechanisms causing the scaling–based variation within group “A”, but not yet the processes underlying the more complex shear-based saltational transformation that produced variation between groups. The main objective of this project is to identify the developmental programs underlying the leaps of beak shape diversification during Darwin’s finches’ adaptive radiation – the variation between “group shapes”. I will employ an extensive whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNAseq) screen to search for novel transcripts whose gene expression is associated with the group shape-specific beak curvatures. This will be complemented with genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify upstream regulators of the actual effector molecules that cause the phenotype. I will validate the best candidates by gain- and loss-of-function tests using retroviral vectors on developing chicken and zebrafinch embryos to reveal their roles in beak morphogenesis. This project will provide novel insights on intrinsic mechanisms that facilitate adaptive morphological diversity, will offer an opportunity for interdisciplinary research interactions and will generate resources valuable to the entire biological community. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesdevelopmental biologynatural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanetshumanitiesartsmodern and contemporary artcinematographymedical and health sciencesclinical medicineembryology Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2015-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE Net EU contribution € 183 454,80 Address SOUTH KENSINGTON CAMPUS EXHIBITION ROAD SW7 2AZ LONDON United Kingdom See on map Region London Inner London — West Westminster Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 183 454,80