@embldbunit.bsky.social
Research in the Developmental Biology Unit focuses on exploring the rich diversity and complexity of living systems, taking into account their natural context.
Schematic of limb regeneration in axolotl, with growth controlled by two oppositely oriented morphogen gradients (SHH, FGF8).
Axolotl can regrow lost limbs, matching their body size. How? Our new theory-experiment paper in @pnas.org proposes how oppositely oriented morphogen gradients scaling with animal size promote proportional growth. Great collaboration with @tatianasg.bsky.social @cmcb-tud.bsky.social
26.11.2025 09:59 β π 33 π 9 π¬ 1 π 1
Very happy to share our 'Evoscape' paper, now published in PNAS ! www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
10.12.2025 13:27 β π 66 π 25 π¬ 1 π 0
πCongratulations to Adriaan Meiborg @ymeiborg.bsky.social, from the Vu group @hanhtkvu.bsky.social @embl.org who has defended his PhD thesis titled βA single-cell view of Schmidtea mediterranea growth dynamicsβ #DevelopmentalBiology
10.12.2025 15:37 β π 9 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Congratulations, Ina! π
09.12.2025 20:24 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0π Congratulations to Idoia Quintana @idoiaeu.bsky.social on receiving an ERC Consolidator Grant! Exciting research ahead.
#ERCCogGrant #Research
β¨ This week's DB seminar was presented by Sosuke Fujita a postdoc in the Ikmi group @aikmi.bsky.social @embl.org. His research focuses on the role of neuropeptide signaling in development and regeneration using Nematostella as a model organism #devbio #regeneration #cnidarians
04.12.2025 14:59 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
π Day 3 of the 24 Days of Development β¨π§¬
The yolk sac, the oldest extra-embryonic membrane, plays a key role in early nutrient transfer ππ. Mouse yolk sac organoids reveal its function as a choriovitelline placenta and maternal-fetal exchange hub πΒ doi.org/10.1016/j.yd...
Two heads are better than one, unless youβre a land planarian trying to find some grub. FORCE pilot project - check!
Video credit: Daniel Stoga
#nightscience
#WormWednesday
@hanhtkvu.bsky.social
@aikmi.bsky.social @embldbunit.bsky.social
@martaalvarez.bsky.social
Applications are open for @dev-journal.bsky.social 2026 Pathway to Independence (PI) programme, supporting postdocs applying for group leader positions:
Mentoring
Profile raising
Leadership training
Network building
Spread the word...
www.biologists.com/grants/devel...
π Day 2 of the 24 Days of Development β¨π§¬
This study uncovers a key role for foxl2l in zebrafish sex differentiation. π Loss of foxl2l blocks meiosis, causes germ cells to accumulate, and results in complete female-to-male sex reversal. βοΈππ
doi.org/10.1016/j.yd...
π Day 1 of the 24 Days of Development β¨π§¬
This study shows how different fixation methods (PFA vs. TCA) change what researchers can visualize in chicken embryos using HCR or IHC. ππ£π¬ doi.org/10.1016/j.yd...
β¨This week at the DB Unit Seminar @embl.org, Gabriel Gastelum Urbina @gabyga16.bsky.social, a postdoc in the van Gestel Group @jordivangestel.bsky.social, presented her work on how predation shapes microbial community dynamics in soil #predation #microbialecology #microbialdynamics
27.11.2025 07:43 β π 3 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
We are hiring!
Interested? Apply here: go.mbl.edu/AS1887
SAVE THE DATE! Stoked to organize the 2026 Santa Cruz Developmental Biology Meeting with @rashmi-priya.bsky.social, @lowelab.bsky.social, and Shelbi Russell. Come learn about Biomedicine, Biomechanics, and the Biosphere, August 24-28, 2026. Registration dates, etc., coming soon! Please RT
19.11.2025 20:23 β π 115 π 74 π¬ 1 π 3
Next Monday, 24th November at 2:30 PM (UK), we are welcoming two ERCs: Meng Zhu @zhumeng123.bsky.social (Harvard University) and Alex Plum @alex-plum.bsky.social (University of California San Diego). Don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list to receive the Zoom link! Hope to see you all! :)
21.11.2025 09:46 β π 8 π 5 π¬ 0 π 1
In this week's DB unit seminar @embl.org, Eva Pillai @evapillai.bsky.social , a postdoc in the Arendt, Diz-MuΓ±oz @diz-lab.bsky.social and Brunet groups @thibautbrunet.bsky.social , shared insights on the role of cell surface mechanics in multicellularity, using choanoflagellates as a model organism
20.11.2025 07:52 β π 16 π 2 π¬ 0 π 0
Advanced grad students + postdocs: apply for the 2026 #kitpqbio summer course, "Physical Principles of Morphogenesis in Plants and Animals," at buff.ly/OXXMKEv. Apply by Feb. 1.
Course directors Adrienne Roeder (Cornell) and Sebastian Streichan (UCSB)
Exciting opportunity: EMBL CPP Fellowships are open for applications until 30 Nov! Stay for 1β6 months at any of EMBL's six sites π¬
Who's eligible:
β’ Currently employed PhD researchers or postdocs
β’ All nationalities, no age limit
β’ First-time visitors to EMBL
https://s.embl.org/cpp-fellowship
One more week to apply for this exciting symposium on collective behaviour πππ
19.11.2025 09:03 β π 7 π 5 π¬ 0 π 0
A figure illustrating examples of physics-inspired theory in developmental biology. Please read the linked article for more information.
Searching for physical principles of morphogenesis
In this #OpenAccess Spotlight, Nikolas Claussen, Fridtjof Brauns and @streichan.bsky.social highlight the βphysics of developmentβ, focusing on the interplay between quantitative experiments and mathematical theory
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
β¨This week at the DB unit seminar @embl.org, Noa Ottilie Borst, a PhD student in the Crocker group @justinmcrocker.bsky.social presented her work on cell-type-specific interallelic interactions, and how they simultaneously allow for robustness and evolutionary innovation.
14.11.2025 11:29 β π 16 π 3 π¬ 0 π 0
You only have one more week to submit your abstract for 'Collectivity in living systems: emergence, function, and evolution' π s.embl.org/ees26-01-bl
Don't miss #EESCollectivity which will explore how collective behaviours arise from fundamental principles across biological systemsπ¦ ππ§¬
Check out this month's handpicked preprints in developmantal & stem cell biology on the Node
thenode.biologists.com/prelighters-...
This is happening TODAY 2:30 pm!
10.11.2025 08:22 β π 11 π 5 π¬ 0 π 0
Please join us for this exciting new conference on the emergence, function and evolution of biological collectives - unpacking the wonderful world of self-organization: www.embl.org/about/info/c...
08.11.2025 07:42 β π 28 π 12 π¬ 0 π 0
Only a few days left for abstract submission at the brand new EMBO|EMBL Symposium Collectivity in living systems: emergence, function and evolution. We have stellar speakers in cell, animal collectives & beyond @priscaliberali.bsky.social @icouzin.bsky.social @ricardsole.bsky.social
Join us!
β¨ In this week's DB unit seminar @embl.org, Hidenobu Miyazawa, a postdoc in the Aulehla group, shared insights on the role of glycolysis in mouse embryo axis segmentation #DevelopmentalBiology #Glycolysis #MouseEmbryos
06.11.2025 09:57 β π 8 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Exciting day for the lab: our 1rst paper is officially out in @currentbiology.bsky.social π₯³ Wonderful collaboration wt @gautamdey.bsky.social showing how Cryo-ExM achieves consistent immunostaining in diverse diatoms, from the lab and the natural environment 1/n
#ProtistsOnSky
tinyurl.com/2zxaund7
π₯ A new review by @aikmi.bsky.social and @mohannad-dardiry.bsky.social challenging the paradigm of organismal terminal differentiation #developmentalbiology
31.10.2025 12:02 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
β¨Thomas Beavis, a PhD student in the Vincent group
@floravincent.bsky.social @embl.org , was our speaker at this week's DB seminar. He discussed his research on how diatom-ciliate symbiosis affects cell fate and function #symbiosis #marinebiology #protists
