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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta, GA | Posted: August 20, 2015
Summary Sentence:
Will Ratcliff and his collaborators received a three year, $562,000 NASA grant to investigate the origin and evolutionary consequences of multicellular life cycles.
Full Summary:
In August, Biology assistant professor Will Ratcliff and his collaborators received a three year, $562,000 NASA grant to investigate the origin and evolutionary consequences of multicellular life cycles. All multicellular organisms exhibit a characteristic life cycle that alternates between stages of reproduction, growth and development.
Will RatcliffIn August, Biology assistant professor Will Ratcliff and his collaborators received a three year, $562,000 NASA grant to investigate the origin and evolutionary consequences of multicellular life cycles. All multicellular organisms exhibit a characteristic life cycle that alternates between stages of reproduction, growth and development. This life cycle is critical for the evolution of multicellular complexity, playing a central role in transporting fitness from cells to multicellular individuals. Despite their importance, the evolutionary origins of multicellular life cycles are poorly understood. A key factor limiting progress has been the fact that evolutionary transitions to multicellularity on Earth have been both ancient and rare. Using a combination of synthetic biology and experimental evolution, we have created novel multicellular organisms in fungal and algal model systems. This gives us a unique opportunity to investigate the origin of multicellular life cycles, and assess their role in the evolution of complex life.
