Objective Much of what we know about how embryos determine their axes of symmetry comes from research in invertebrates (mainly Drosophila) and cold-blooded vertebrates (mainly Xenopus). In both cases, polarity is set up by the localisation of maternal determinants in the cytoplasm of the fertilised egg. These determinants are inherited differentially by daughter cells, leading them to acquire different fates, which effectively fixes the axes of the embryo by the 8 cell stage. In contrast, in amniotes (reptiles, birds and mammals) embryonic polarity remains plastic until much later, just before gastrulation, when the embryo may contain as many as 50,000 cells. If an embryo at this stage is cut into fragments, each fragment can generate a complete embryo. This property, called "embryonic regulation", is thought to be responsible for the generation of monozygotic (identical) and conjoined ( Siamese ) twins in humans and other amniotes. We know almost nothing about how polarity is determined in higher vertebrates or about the mechanisms of embryonic regulation and twinning. This project uses a multi-disciplinary systems approach to reveal the gene interaction network controlling polarity, regulation and twinning. The project will also generate a mathematical model of early development or "virtual embryo", allowing prediction of experimental outcomes and clinical scenarios. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogymedical and health sciencesclinical medicineembryologynatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyinvertebrate zoologynatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model 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-2009-AdG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant Host institution UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON EU contribution € 1 997 899,00 Address GOWER STREET WC1E 6BT LONDON See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Claudio Daniel Stern (Prof.) Administrative Contact Greta Borg-Carbott (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON EU contribution € 1 997 899,00 Address GOWER STREET WC1E 6BT LONDON See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Claudio Daniel Stern (Prof.) Administrative Contact Greta Borg-Carbott (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data