Intersecting Developmental Biology & Toxicology in a unique academic event



GROWTH



The process of organ development has fascinated researchers for centuries. To dissect the mechanisms governing organogenesis, past research has often been carried out under highly artificial experimental condition. While this was necessary to build a fundamental understanding it becomes more and more clear that development does not happen in isolation from the environment. This awareness led to the emergence of new research fields such as EcoDevo (Ecological Developmental Biology) and EcoEvoDevo (Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology). The paradigms behind these fields allow asking a completely new set of questions. How robust are developmental programs to environmental disturbance events? Do climate and development “coevolve”? Which environmental factors constrain developmental processes?



FUTURE



While most of these questions are asked in a long-term evolutionary context it is also possible to bring them down to a short-scale. Widely used compounds such as plastics, pharmacological drugs and other chemicals, might affect key biological processes like brain and heart development. A full understanding of the interaction of these ‘environmental factors’ with organogenetic processes can help to prevent and treat malfunctions.

Focusing on these short-term influences, we want to bring together developmental biology and toxicology in a unique academic DevoTox meeting. Our aim is to gather top experts in these fields and set joint projects. Additionally, we want to prime research collaborations, filling some existing gaps in this recent research field.



TEAM



We are Ph.D. graduates from the FSU Jena. At the moment we are performing postdoctoral research in developmental biology. With DevoTox we want to create a space for sharing relevant findings in the field of toxicology and development.



Sponsored by



Förderprogramms für Postdocs „Wissenschaftliche Veranstaltungen ausrichten“
Graduierten-Akademie der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena





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