Developing a Model Three-Dimensional Animation of Embryonic Heart Development

Three-dimensional animations are often effective in explaining complex phenomena, but altering the finished productions can be cumbersome and costly. The goal of this thesis was to develop a technique for easily altering 3D animations using 2D methods. In conjunction with the Olson Laboratory at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, I created two animations dealing with heart development, based on one 3D animation model. The animations focused on cardiac morphogenesis and transcription factor expression. The purpose of this project was to not only visually communicate cardiac morphogenesis and the expression patterns of transcription factors, but to create a 3D model that can be used as a template for any further visualization of heart development research.