Objective Developmental biology seeks not only to learn more about the fundamental processes of growth and pattern per se, but to understand how they synergize to enable the morphogenesis of multicellular organisms. Our goal is to perform real-time analyses of these developmental processes in an intact developing organ. By applying a vital imaging approach, we can circumvent the normal limitations of inferring cellular dynamics from static images or molecular data, and obtain the real dynamic view of growth and patterning. The wing imaginal disc of Drosophila, which starts out as a simple epithelial structure and gives rise to a precisely structured adult limb, will serve as an ideal model system. This system has the combined advantages of relative simplicity and genetic tractability. We will create several innovations that expand the current toolkit and thus facilitate the detailed dissection of growth and patterning. A key early step will be to develop novel reporters to dynamically and faithfully monitor signaling cascades involved in growth and patterning, such as the Dpp and Hippo pathways. We will also implement quantification techniques that are currently being set up in collaboration with an experimental physicist, to deduce, and alter, the mechanical forces that develop in the cells of a growing tissue. The large amount of quantitative data that will be generated allow us derive computational models of the individual pathways and their interaction. The focus of the study will be to answer the following questions: 1) Is the Hippo pathway regulated spatially and temporally, and by what signaling pathways? 2) Do mechanical forces play a pivotal controlling role in organ morphogenesis? 3) What are the global effects on growth, when pathways controlling patterning, cell competition or compensatory proliferation are perturbed? The proposed project will bring the approaches taken to define the mechanisms underlying and controlling growth and patterning to the next level. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesdevelopmental biology Keywords final size growth patterning Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-AG-LS3 - ERC Advanced Grant - Cellular and Developmental Biology Call for proposal ERC-2008-AdG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant Coordinator University of Zurich Address Ramistrasse 71 8006 Zurich Switzerland See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Daniel Wyler (Prof.) Principal investigator Konrad Basler (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 2 310 000,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all University of Zurich Switzerland EU contribution € 2 310 000,00 Address Ramistrasse 71 8006 Zurich See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Daniel Wyler (Prof.) Principal investigator Konrad Basler (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window