Aravinda Lakshmi Yellina  PhD
	University of Bremen Evolutionary Developmental Genetics Group Leobener Str., UFT 28359 Bremen Germany
	Tel.: +49 421 218 63438 Fax: +49 421 218 3240
	e-mail: aravinda@uni-bremen.de

research outline

Although the flower development has been extensively studied in Arabidopsis, there is a need for a basal eudicot species to learn more about the implications of molecular evolution on plant developmental processes. Eschscholzia californica, a basal eudicot is found to be an expedient model species because of its phylogenetic position & its amenability for stable genetic transformation. Our research is focusing on the evolutionarily important innovation of the angiosperms, “the carpel” using a candidate gene approach to analyze some of its key developmental genes. Functional characterization of the genes through over expression and knock down expression via Agrobacterium mediated transformation and virus induced gene silencing are proved to be the best methodologies.