Bhagwati Gupta , Ph.D.

Research Interests & Activities:

Vulval development in Caenorhabditis elegans, Regulation and function of gene networks, Evolution of developmental mechanisms

Specification of cell fate during development involves a large number of genes that interact with each other and are expressed in dynamic patterns. My lab is interested in understanding the function and evolution of gene networks that control cell proliferation and differentiation. Alterations in gene regulation have been shown to give rise to severe developmental abnormalities including hereditary diseases and cancers. Hence, a fundamental understanding of gene regulatory networks is critical for gaining important insights into the pathogenesis of human diseases. Toward this goal, we are studying vulval development in an established model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans and a closely related species, Caenorhabditis briggsae.