Cell & Developmental Biology (CDB)

Illustration of a human standing with a DNA strand circling the human. Image by Michael Vincent.

Possible genetic basis and mouse model found for severe nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

The SRSF1 gene acts as a guardian against DNA damage in the liver, School of MCB researchers found. When it is missing or inactivated, severe nonalcoholic fatty liver disease symptoms develop.
Headshot of Jay Sonalkar in front of a wall with illustrations of cells. He is wearing a U of I zip-up jacket.

Meet MCB: Undergraduate researcher Jay Sonalkar

MCB major Jay Sonalkar was the 2022 recipient of the Tom and Cynthia Cycyota Research Scholarship. He answered a Q&A about his undergraduate research experience for the 2022 annual CDB newsletter.
headshot of Xin Li

Catching up with Xin Li

Xin Li is an assistant professor of cell and developmental biology and was recently named a Lincoln Excellence for Assistant Professors (LEAP) Scholar. The Department of CDB caught up with Xin Li for its annual newsletter.
Alma Mater is all ready for the holidays with a winter scarf, ear muffs and holiday lights. Her garb is completed with a mask during this era of COVID-19.

School of MCB recognizes contributions of faculty, staff, grad students

The School of MCB is proud to recognize its stellar faculty and staff for their valuable contributions to the research and instructional missions of the school. At the 2022 Holiday Celebration, MCB director Milan Bagchi, Deborah Paul Professor of Molecular & Cellular Biology, gave awards in...
Alokananda Ray, a postdoctoral researcher in the Li lab (left) with Xin Li, an assistant professor of cell and developmental biology.

Researchers investigate neuron differentiation in fruit fly brains

The brains of all higher order animals are filled with a diverse array of neuron types, with specific shapes and functions. Yet, when these brains form during embryonic development, there is initially only a small pool of cell types to work with. So how do neurons diversify over the embryo’s...
Roughly a dozen new faculty members in the College of LAS stand together for a group photo indoors.

New faculty members begin teaching and research at U of I

The College of LAS is welcoming 38 new professors for the 2022-23 academic year. Their new positions range from clinical professors to assistant professors and an endowed position in more than 20 academic units, ranging from African American studies to economics, philosophy, statistics, and several...
Engineering North Quad - Fall Autumn Season - Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology

A different kind of cell signal: New method enables clear, precise imaging of human cells

Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology have developed an innovative way to ‘see’ the fine structure and chemical composition of a human cell with unmatched clarity and precision. Their technique, which appeared in PNAS earlier this week, takes a creative — and...
Headshot of Surabhi Sonar

Researchers generate first comprehensive cellular map of frog cornea

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have generated the first comprehensive cellular map of the cornea in a frog species at early and adult developmental stages. Their findings could lead to the improvement of therapeutic treatments for diseases and dystrophies that effect...
A tight shot of a microscope with a soft orange gradient layer.

School of MCB hiring faculty

The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is hiring faculty in several of our departments.
Outdoor shot of Lincoln Hall

College of LAS announces named scholars

Several professors, including two from the School of MCB's Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, have recently received named scholar positions for their contributions to research, education, and the academic mission of the College of LAS.