Developmental Biology at the Bench
PSL Master in Life Sciences – M1
2025-2026 - Semester 1
UNBIO1-053 (S16) | Developmental Biology at the Bench
3 ECTS
—2025-2026 syllabus & program—
Year and Semester : M1 | S1
Duration : from 24th November 2025 to 28th November 2025
Hours : Please be aware that the module includes a Thursday afternoon session
Maximum class size : 9 students
Coordination
Iris Salecker, PU, Département de Biologie, ENS (module coordinator)
Credits
3 ECTS
Hours
9 am – 6 pm (with breaks) : 10 h lectures (including student presentations) and 24 h practical work and data analysis
Keywords
Developmental biology | Model organisms : chick embryo, Drosophila melanogaster, C. elegans | Asymmetric cell divisions | Temporal cell fate acquisition | Mosaic analysis | Electroporation | Spinning disc and confocal microscopy | Live imaging
Course prerequisites
There will be no specific requirements to attend this module. However, participants should bring plenty of curiosity and an inquisitive mind. Some background in cell, molecular and developmental biology, neurobiology and genetics, as well as attendance of the Developmental Biology II course are recommended.
Course objectives and description
Aims : This module will enable participants to gain practical experience in a set of basic and advanced technologies underpinning Developmental Biology research.
Themes : Animal bodies are remarkable : They consist of a large diversity of different cell subtypes, each endowed with distinct morphologies, assembled into perfectly proportioned and functional tissues and organs.
Understanding, how these are formed step by step during development is a fascinating challenge.
Recent years taught us that the integration of findings obtained through studies in different animal species –each offering distinct advantages and experimental possibilities– is instrumental for uncovering the cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning fundamental developmental principles.
Our course seeks to bring across this notion by introducing students to three model organisms, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the chick Gallus gallus.
Lectures and practical workshops will center around three questions :
(1) how do neural stem cells switch between proliferation and differentiation,
(2) how do cells acquire their fates over time, and
(3) and how do differentiating cells acquire their characteristic shapes ?
Workshop projects will be tied to ongoing research in the teams of the three course instructors.
The students will gain hands-on experience in different experimental genetic strategies used by « worm, fly and chick people » to tackle these questions.
A focus will be on the visualization of above specific developmental steps in conjunction with high-end light microscopy (including electroporation and live imaging) and the exploration of underlying molecular mechanisms through targeted manipulation of candidate gene function.
Organisation : The module will include a set of 6 lectures that introduce the conceptual and technical background of planned experiments and the three model organisms. These will complement the ateliers during which the students learn how to work with worms, flies and chick embryos at different developmental stages, to prepare samples following genetic manipulations, as well as to acquire, analyze and interpret images obtained through microscopy.
Assessment
Grades will be based on course presence and punctuality (10%), course practical/seminar participation (40%), and 30’ group presentations and discussions of TP projects (50%).
Course material
Pdf versions of PowerPoint presentations, as well as reading material and experimental instructions for the workshops will be provided online via Moodle and/or as print-outs.
Suggested readings in relation with the module content
• Primary literature and review articles related to presented topics will be provided via Moodle.
• Some chapters in relevant textbooks (Michael Barresi and Scott Gilbert : Developmental Biology ; Lewis Wolpert, Cheryll Tickle, Alfonso Martinez Arias : Principles of Development)
Teaching Team
Wolfgang Keil, DR CNRS, Institut Curie et Institut Pierre Gilles de Gennes
Xavier Morin, DR CNRS, Département de Biologie, ENS
Iris Salecker, PU, Département de Biologie, ENS
Past course impressions
Fascinated by Developmental Biology ? This practical course introduces our students to experimental work with three major models : C. elegans, Drosophila and the chick embryo.
I. Salecker and X. Morin
vs. 11/07/2025