Developmental biology studies cell signaling networks that direct the
fertilized egg to develop into a complex multicellular organism. These
networks control the fundamental processes of cell growth,
differentiation, morphogenesis that underlie normal development and
tissue maintenance. When mutated, these networks can be
subverted, leading to devastating conditions such as cancer and birth
defects. A major challenge in the field is to understand how cells
integrate different developmental signals and interpret morphogen
gradients, and in turn produce coordinated readouts of cell
proliferation, polarity, motility, and adhesion. Investigators in the
Department of Cell Biology are tackling this challenge using diverse
experimental systems including animal, explant, and cell-culture
models. Research areas encompass many key developmental events
including fertilization, axis formation, gastrulation, organogenesis (e.g.
neural crest migration, sensory hair cell differentiation) and neuronal
morphogenesis. Empowered with a growing array of embryological,
imaging, molecular and genetic tools, these studies are beginning to
reveal the cellular and molecular events during development with
unprecedented detail, providing new insights into how genes give rise
to tissues, organs and anatomy. Developmental biology integrates
seamlessly with other research themes in the department, and is a
growing component of the Department of Cell Biology and the
Morphogenesis & Regenerative Medicine Institute.