Welcome
Cell and developmental biology is a broad discipline in modern molecular and cellular biology, and is the foundation of all biomedical sciences such as neurobiology, cancer biology, regenerative biology and aging. A central mission of our department is to perform cutting-edge research to understand at the molecular level the organization and function of cells, and how cells interact to control the formation and function of multicellular organisms. Using a diverse array of experimental systems, we study chromatin structure and dynamics, gene regulation, RNA biology, signal transduction, and cytoskeletal reorganization in the context of cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, morphogenesis and tissue remodeling. Our research programs are highly interdisciplinary, and we collaborate extensively with colleagues in chemistry, physics, and engineering. Also critical to our mission is the education and training of the next generation of cell and developmental biologists.
Jie Chen, Head
CDB News
Researchers report that a protein known to be important to protein synthesis also influences muscle regeneration and regrowth in an unexpected manner. The discovery, reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could one day lead to new methods for treating disorders that result in muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass, the researchers said.
Professor William Brieher has been selected by an awards committee to receive the LAS Dean’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, alongside four other professors at Illinois. This honor grants the recipients $1,000 to support their teaching and research, while a one-time increment of $2,000 will be added to the annual salary base of each recipient.
Professor Kannanganattu Prasanth led a team that found that certain genes that don’t code for proteins could play an important regulatory role in breast cancer.
Discovery provides deeper insight into DNA and the fight against cancer
Our fall issue of the MCB magazine focuses on the diverse ways in which microbes affect our health.
