The project will be to modify an engineered gene (transgene) that will report on the regulation of a 2-gene cluster through fluorescent proteins. We have a transgene backbone that you would modify and then introduce into ascidian (Ciona) embryos to see how the modifications affect gene expression. The work will consist of PCR, cloning, simple dissection and fluorescence microscopy. It may also involve some animal collection and aquarium maintenance tasks. The goal is to study how the regulatory DNA in a gene cluster affects the expression of the member genes.

*This project involves the use of animals.