Mechanisms of multicellular development

During multi-cellular development, individual cells must integrate intracellular and extracellular signals and implement appropriate decisions, such as whether to grow, divide, migrate, differentiate, or die. The molecular mechanisms that control developmental cell fate decisions are also the keys to solving many biomedical and agricultural concerns. GDCB is building upon strengths in genome dynamics, functional genomics, and computational biology to achieve a nationally recognized program of research that investigates the regulatory circuitry of development. Research topics in this area include specification of cell fates and cellular differentiation, cell-cell interactions and signal transduction, pattern formation, organogenesis, neurobiology, and programmed cell death.