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Overview

The Department of Developmental & Regenerative Biology explores the events governing the organization, structure and function of cells, tissues, and organisms, with a focus on the development, regeneration, and patterning of organs. To achieve this we are using a multitude of model organisms, including mouse, Drosophila, zebrafish, and Xenopus. Furthermore, our mission is to instruct medical and graduate students in the diverse aspects of biological sciences, with focus in cell and developmental biology and stem cell biology.

The department has currently 13 primary faculty and >20 secondary faculty, many of which participate in our scientific programs and seminar series. In addition, we are providing the institution with core facilities that allow the use of model organisms in any context of basic research, or translational and clinical research.

The main areas of research are focused on signaling pathways (Drosophila, mouse, Xenopus), cell death (Drosophila), organogenesis (Drosophila, mouse, zebrafish), fertilization (mouse), stem cells (mouse, zebrafish), and cancer models (Drosophila, mouse). In addition, several labs are using model organisms and cell culture assays in drug screens. For example, Drosophila is being used to screen for new drugs in the contexts of Cancer and Diabetes, or mouse and Drosophila are being employed in modeling the behavior of cancer cells and progression of tumors.

The study of biological mechanisms through a broad and multi-tiered approach reveals the unifying principles of biological development, structure and function with exquisite clarity, and reveals important links to medical disorders and therapeutic potential. The students and postdocs are trained in these principles through their participation in a series of seminar series, rigorous lab work, and multidisciplinary approaches to interesting questions in modern biomedical research. Our faculty members are fully committed to providing a highly interactive, cutting-edge environment for postdoctoral fellows, MSTP and PhD student training that develops creative and independent scientists. Many faculty members of the department are closely associated with the Black Family Stem Cell Institute (BFSCI), the Center for Molecular Cardiology, and several Cancer Biology initiatives at the School of Medicine. Collaboration between laboratories using different model organisms and systems is very common and postdoctoral fellows and graduate students are an integral part of this process. The department fosters collaborations with faculty in other basic science departments as well as with clinical scientists through joint projects, seminars, interdisciplinary programs, and training grants.