Venom gland organogenesis in the common house spider

The goal of this project is to investigate the mechanisms underlying the morphogenesis of the venom apparatus, using the common house spider, Parasteatoda tepidariorum, as a model system. By combining morphological analysis and spatiotemporal analysis of gene expression dynamics, this project aims to reveal, for the first time, the key players involved in the emergence and differentiation of a complex, centralized venom system.