Co-Chaired by:
Abner Louis Notkins, NIDCR
Michael Krause, NIDDK

Balcony C, Natcher Conference Center

Non-mammalian model systems play an important role in understanding human disease. These organisms offer anatomical and genomic simplicity in the study of gene and protein functions within the context of organismal development. The worm, fly, and fish model organisms additionally provide genetic and mutant analysis that often uncovers unexpected and novel aspects of disease processes. This session samples the use of non-mammalian model organisms to study a variety of human diseases. The presentations will illustrate how certain features of the nematode, fruit fly, and zebrafish model systems have been exploited to provide valuable information on the function of gene products and the implications for human disease.

Program

The Drosophila Homolog of the Human Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type-1 Gene Functions in the JNK Pathway
Brian Oliver, NIDDK

The Zebrafish as a Model for Vascular Development and Disease
Brant Weinstein, NICHD

Using Drosophila to Understand the Functions of Down Syndrome Critical Region 1 Gene (DSCR1)
Kyung-Tai Min, NINDS

The Conserved EIN Domain Protein, Nerfin-1, Is Required for Axon Guidance in the Developing Drosophila CNS
Ward F. Odenwald, NINDS

The Dense Core Secretory Protein IA-2 and Insulin-like Signaling Pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans
Tao Cai, NIDCR