To understand the mechanisms by which organisms control the acquisition, distribution, and utilization of an essential micronutrient, copper.
Describe the role of a C. elegans CTR1 copper importer homolog, CHCA-1, and the ATP7A/B homolog, CUA-1 in copper acquisition for growth, and development.
Describe advantages of the nematode model Caenorhabditis elegans that can be exploited as a whole-animal model system to study regulation of intra- and intercellular copper trafficking pathways, and to study a human copper deficiency disease.
