2014-ANZSCDB-Summer-newsletter

ANZSCDB Sponsored Meeting - REPORT
services at cost for academics and very
high success rates (and fast turnaround)
for generating mutant mice, with the
array of possibilities that this opens
for Australian researchers (Ian). Then
came optimisation of zebrafish genome
editing, including CRISPR multiplex and
how very high rates of homozygozity can
be achieved and then quickly screened
(Mary).
After this very busy day, we were
very lucky to be able to feed some of
the wildlife (dolphins!) before feeding
ourselves over dinner. We then had a longwinded
roundtable on career development
and the many challenges that the scientific
path holds, both in the bench and in the
public eye.
Our final day was opened by our second
Company of Biologists Lecture, by Phil
Crosier. He provided us with insights
on the zebrafish immune system and
how he models a number of diseases,
including inflammatory bowel disease,
and uses novel tools for infection such
as Mycobacterium marinum. The last
session was one of the most diverse,
since it focused on the technical aspects
of quantitative biology and imaging.
Simultaneously quantifying several
parameters in a developing organ is no
easy task, and Ian Smyth presented
us with a combination of light sheet
fluorescence microscopy and optical
projection tomography data from the
developing kidney that tackles this issue
with astounding success. Mary Mullins
told us about what that her lab is doing
in zebrafish embryos using microscopy
coupled with Matlab, trying to quantify
but also remove part of the observer’s
bias from the analysis. Robb Krumlauf
took the spotlight then, to show us his
lab’s experience with single molecule
quantification of transcripts, mainly
the Stellaris and the Hybridisation
Chain Reaction methods, followed by
some recent advances on chromatin
immunoprecipitation that they have been
trying out, mainly ChIP Nexus. With the
technological advances coming up to
speed with the burning questions that
researchers have been/are asking, the
future looks very promising indeed.
On the ferry back to the mainland after
spending 4 non-stop days of Cell and
Developmental Biology, we could all look
back on the great experience we had just
had. The amazing local and international
speakers (conquering jetlag), the topquality
science from the attendees, the
conversations until the wee hours, the
beautiful setting...it all came together
making for a highly enjoyable and
academically fulfilling Workshop, not to be
missed in its future iterations by anyone
interested in Developmental Biology this
side of the Pacific.
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