Dr Megan Davey

Group Leader

Biography

Qualifications

Doctor of Science, University of Dundee Hedgehog Signalling in the talpid3 chicken mutant with special reference to vascular development Bachelor of Science, University College London Hypodactyly; evidence that Hoxa13 may control chondrogenesis through cell-cell adhesions

Undergraduate teaching

2010-date-  Animal Body1;  Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, UK

2015-date-  GEP (Embryology Module) Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, UK

2018-           AD4, Biological Sciences

2018-           Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security, Cells to Organisms

2011-date-  Chicken Limb Development, MSc Animal Biosciences, The Roslin Institute, UK

2008-date-  Honours Students and SCC Veterinary Project supervision, University of Edinburgh, UK

Research summary

Our current projects include:

  • The embryological origin of radial aplasia
  • Fate mapping the limb bud and the control of co-ordinated development of limb anatomy
  • Developing novel avian transgenic tools for developmental biology
  • The evolution of limb pattern in birds
  • The function of TALPID3

Current research interests

Understanding the generation of the patterned embryo from a single fertilised cell has always captured my interest and imagination. The developing limb bud is a classical model for understanding biological networks which regulate embryonic morphogenesis. The research in my group has utilizes naturally occurring polydactylous chicken mutants (which extra toes) to understand how the limb bud is patterned. We are particularly interested in the action of the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) protein. This protein is produced in the cells which will eventually become the little finger and ulna. These cells use SHH to tell the other cells of the developing limb how many fingers and toes to make and what type of finger they should become. We are interested in understanding the basic principals of embryonic pattern formation and how this is inportant for human and animal health. Research Interests The Davey Group examines the causative alterations of gene expression which lead to variations in phenotype using comparative anatomy, genomics and embryonic manipulation of avian species. She has expertise in gene expression analysis, particularly the molecular anatomy of the developing limb bud.

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