Richard Cripps, PhD
We are interested in understanding the basic mechanisms of muscle development. We use the fruit fly, DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER, as our model system, because it contains the same basic genetic tool box to make muscles as do mammals. Thus, by understanding how muscles form in flies, we can gain insight into homologous processes in vertebrates. We use a combination of genetics, cell biology, biochemistry and simple behavioural assays in our laboratory.