Symposium on the Evolution of the Vertebrate Eye

Morning Session, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Open to the community

8:30 a.m. – Coffee and pastries

8:45 a.m. - Welcome and Introduction

Dr. Ishara Mills‐Henry

9:15 a.m. – Darwin and the Origin of Species

Prof. John Durant, Director, MIT Museum and Science, Technology & Society Program

9:45 a.m. - Step by Step Evolution of the Eye and Eye Genes

Dr. Graeme Wistow, NEI

10:15 - Coffee break

10:30 a.m. Evolution of the eye lens crystallins

Prof. Jonathan King, MIT

11:15 a.m. - Mechanisms of Retinal Development

Prof. Constance Cepko, Harvard

11:45 a.m. Rods, Cones and the Retina

Dr. Ishara Mills-Henry, MIT

12:15 a.m. Vision and the Brain

Prof. Nancy Kanwisher, MIT

1 p.m. Morning program concludes

Between the morning and afternoon sessions, Whitehead graduate students and postdocs from the Whitehead Postdoc Association will host speakers for lunch.

Afternoon session, 4:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

With short research talks

For high school biology teachers

4:15 p.m. – Welcome and Introduction

Amy Tremblay, Whitehead Institute

4:30 p.m. – Darwin and the Origin of Species

Prof. John Durant, Director, MIT Museum and Science, Technology & Society Program

4:45 p.m. - Step by Step Evolution of the Eye and Eye Genes

Dr. Graeme Wistow, NEI

5:00 p.m. - Evolution of the crystallin proteins of the eye lens

Prof. Jonathan King, MIT

5:15 p.m. Rods, Cones and the Retina

Dr. Ishara Mills-Henry, MIT

5:30 p.m. - Mechanisms of Retinal Development

Prof. Constance Cepko, Harvard

5:45 p.m. General discussion

An opportunity for teachers to ask questions and discuss the talks.

6:00 p.m. Breakout discussion groups with speakers in the Whitehead cafeteria

Teachers will choose to sit with one of the speakers and continue discussing one of the topics.

6:15 p.m. Conclusion

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Dinner with the scientists for teachers who express an interest when they register