Welcome to CDB

We the faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows, and staff of the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology are engaged in research to understand how interactions among molecules, macromolecules, and macromolecular machines give rise to living cells. We are interested in how specialized cells function, and how complex interactions between these cells guide normal development, including the creation and maintenance of tissues and organs during all developmental stages. Our mission includes applying basic cell and molecular biological research to the understanding and treatment of human disease as well as new biotechnology applications, including tissue engineering and stem cell therapy. Central to our mission is the education and training of the next generation of cell and developmental biologists. Graduates from our department hold positions across the country in academia, industry, and medicine.