Dr. Drew M. Noden, professor of animal development at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, presented a research seminar to the Biology Department, an evening workshop to students and faculty, and he talked with preveterinary students about the process of preparing for successful application to veterinary medical schools on Nov. 10.
Noden is an internationally recognized authority on cranial neural crest. His seminar, "Mesenchyme, what is it and who cares?" gave an engaging summary of some of his recent research. To make the point that he was emphasizing cells that are "the stuff in the middle" between two layers of epithelia, he included Oreo cookies for the audience to "investigate" as they learned about the biology and behaviors of cells that play critical roles in the development of vertebrate connective tissues, muscles and cardiovascular organs and provide nutritional support for epithelia.
After the seminar he spoke for another hour less formally with preveterinary students who came to learn more about the application process from a member of the Cornell admissions committee. Students and faculty who attended the evening workshop, "Learning from Mistakes. An Interactive Workshop on Congenital Malformations" got to handle various deformed features that have arrived at the Cornell Hospital over previous decades. Among these where a 2-headed calf, spina bifida, cleft palate, Cyclops skulls and other intriguing parts. After some time to investigate, hypothesize and discuss, Noden presented short stories and background to complete audience understanding of what we can learn from and how little we actually know about congenital malformations.
Noden is an internationally recognized authority on cranial neural crest. His seminar, "Mesenchyme, what is it and who cares?" gave an engaging summary of some of his recent research. To make the point that he was emphasizing cells that are "the stuff in the middle" between two layers of epithelia, he included Oreo cookies for the audience to "investigate" as they learned about the biology and behaviors of cells that play critical roles in the development of vertebrate connective tissues, muscles and cardiovascular organs and provide nutritional support for epithelia.
After the seminar he spoke for another hour less formally with preveterinary students who came to learn more about the application process from a member of the Cornell admissions committee. Students and faculty who attended the evening workshop, "Learning from Mistakes. An Interactive Workshop on Congenital Malformations" got to handle various deformed features that have arrived at the Cornell Hospital over previous decades. Among these where a 2-headed calf, spina bifida, cleft palate, Cyclops skulls and other intriguing parts. After some time to investigate, hypothesize and discuss, Noden presented short stories and background to complete audience understanding of what we can learn from and how little we actually know about congenital malformations.
