• Cynthia Coleman, Developmental Biology and Experimental Teratology Program (Ph.D)
  
• Anthony DeLise, Developmental Biology and Experimental Teratology Program (Ph.D)
  

I am currently a student at Thomas Jefferson University in the Developmental Biology and Teratology Ph.D. program. I went to undergraduate school at Saint MichaelÕs College in Colchester, Vermont where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Chemistry minor. My junior year in college, I took a class in Developmental Biology, possibly the best class I took at Saint Michael's. It was so intriguing because it combined many fragments of other areas of study, such as cellular biology, anatomy, physiology, genetics, biochemistry, etc. After this class, I was determined to study Developmental Biology and Teratology in graduate school.

I am currently a member an associate member of Sigma Xi Research Society and a member of AAAS. Recently, myself and three classmates won a contest held by the Teratology Society to construct the ÒJust for StudentsÓ web page. This web page is focused on attracting and interesting students in studying teratology.

My current research is focused on Growth/differentiation Factor 5 (GDF5). GDF5 is a member of the BMP family of proteins. Murine chromosome mapping localized GDF5 to a similar region as the brachypodism mutation. Further investigation found that a mutation in GDF5 is indeed responsible for the phenotype seen in the brachypodism mouse: a normal axial skeleton with shortened long bones in the limb, fusion of bones in the digits and joint malformations (Gruneberg and Lee 1973). GDF5 transcripts were localized to areas in the developing limb where joints will eventually form(Merino et al. 1999) (Storm and Kingsley 1996) (Storm and Kingsley 1999).

The human homologue of GDF5 is CDMP-1 (Cartilage-derived Morphogenetic Protein ø1) (Chang et al. 1994) (Hotten et al. 1994). A mutation in CDMP-1 results in one of two acromesomelic dysplasias: Hunter-Thompson type or Grebe type(Costa et al. 1998) (Langer et al. 1989) (Thomas et al. 1997). These patients present with a normal axial skeleton and malformed limbs. The long bones of the limb are shortened and/or fused with a proximo-distal gradient of severity. Often there are absent bones within the hand or foot. The phenotype seen in the bp or CDMP-1 mutations as well as current expression data suggest GDF5 plays a role in joint development and appendicular skeletogenesis.

References:

• Chang, S. C., Hoang, B., Thomas, J. T., Vukicevic, S., Luyten, F. P., Ryba, N. J. P., Kozak, C. A., Reddi, A. H., Moos, M. (1994). ÒCartilage-derived morphogenetic proteins.Ó The Journal of Biological Chemistry 269: 28227-28234.
  
• Costa, T., Ramsby, G., Cassia, F., Peters, K. R., Soares, J., Correa, J., Quelce-Salgando, A., Tsipouras, P. (1998). ÒGrebe Syndrome: Clinical and radiographic findings in affected individuals and heterozygous carriers.Ó American Journal of Medical Genetics 75: 523-529.
  
• Gruneberg, H. and A. J. Lee (1973). ÒThe anatomy and development of brachypodism in the mouse.Ó Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology 30(1): 119-141.
  
• Hotten, G., Neidhardt, H., Jacobowsky, B., Pohl, J. (1994). ÒCloning and expression of recombinant human growth/differentiation factor 5.Ó Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 204(2): 646-652.
  
• Langer, L. O., Cervenka, J., Camargo, M. (1989). ÒA severe autosomal recessive acromesomelic dysplaia, the Hunter-Thompson type, and comparison with the Grebe-type.Ó Human Genetics 81: 323-328.
  
• Merino, R., Macias, D., Ganan, Y., Economides, A. N., Wang, X., Wu, Q., Stahl, N., Sampath, K. T., Varona, P., Hurle, J. M.(1999). ÒExpression and Function of GDF-5 during Digit Skeletogenesis in the Embryonic Chick Leg Bud.Ó Developmental Biology 206: 33-45.
  
• Storm, E. E. and D. M. Kingsley (1996). ÒJoint patterning defects caused by single and double mutations in members of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family.Ó Development 122: 3969-3979.
  
• Storm, E. E. and D. M. Kingsley (1999). ÒGDF5 coordinates bone and joint formation during digit development.Ó Developmental Biology 209: 11-27.
  
• Thomas, J. T., Kilpatrick, M. W., Lin, K., Erlacher, L., Lembessis, P., Costa, T., Tsipouras, P., Luyten, F. P. (1997). ÒDisruption of human limb morphogenesis by a dominant negative mutation in CDMP1.Ó Nature Genetics 17: 58-64.
  

I am currently a fifth year graduate student in the Developmental Biology and Teratology program at Thomas Jefferson University. I am classified as a "non-traditional student" because I did not go directly to graduate school from undergraduate school. Instead, after graduating with a B.S. in Biology from Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture in 1989, I took employment at Argus Research Laboratories where I performed developmental and reproductive toxicology and teratology studies (DART). This was my introduction into the study of birth defects.

In 1991, I moved to New York and worked for Lederle Laboratories where I had the opportunity to help set up a DART laboratory to perform in-house studies for the company. While this job was very interesting, it became apparent to me that I needed to go back to school if I wanted to continue advancing in the industry. Therefore, in 1995 I enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Thomas Jefferson University.

I chose the Developmental Biology and Teratology program because I became very interested in birth defects as a result of my experience in the pharmaceutical industry and I wanted to learn more about their causes and more importantly, their prevention.

I work in the laboratory of Dr. Rocky Tuan in the Orthopaedic Surgery Department at Thomas Jefferson University. My thesis research is focused on the cell-cell adhesion molecule N-cadherin and its functional role in cellular condensation, a requisite step for cartilage formation via endochondral ossification. I study this process by perturbing the normal N-cadherin gene expression and function using the embryonic chick limb as my model system.

As a non-traditional student, going back to school was quite a shock for me and my wife. We had to begin living on one salary and I had to try and remember how to study. That was over four years ago and now, we are looking forward to the birth of our first child in March and if all goes well, I will be graduating shortly thereafter.

Graduate school has been a great experience for me. It has taught me a lot but most importantly, it has taught me how to think. I recommend graduate school to anyone interested in improving themselves but my advice is, Don't rush into it if you're not ready. Graduate school will be there when you are ready.