Behind the paper stories
Every paper has a story behind it, and we regularly commission scientists to tell theirs. In this collection you’ll discover the highs and the lows, the chance encounters and life changing discoveries from the breadth of developmental biology and stem cell research.
Recent posts
Traditional Embryology with Modern Imaging Approaches: Investigating Morphogenetic Feedback on Pattern Formation
Posted by Timothy Fulton, on 9 October 2020
Timothy Fulton, Vikas Trivedi, Andrea Attardi & Benjamin Steventon As developmental biologists, we often find ourselves carefully looking at developing embryos as they undertake a dramatic and fascinating task: making …Forgotten filaments to the fore
Posted by Grace Lim, on 1 October 2020
The cytoskeletal filament network within our cells underpins the functionality of virtually all cellular processes. Apart from conferring a structural framework giving cells their unique shapes, the cytoskeleton also regulates …The long road to understanding homeobox genes in the nervous system
Posted by Oliver Hobert, on 1 October 2020
Following the initial discovery of the homeobox in the 1980s in invertebrates and then vertebrates, it became quickly clear that homeobox genes come in two flavors – that of the …From Image to Insight – Morphogenesis Meets Data Science
Posted by Jonas Hartmann, on 26 September 2020
A wave of innovations is advancing data-driven computational analysis and machine learning – time for developmental biologists to hop on the surf board! This post, inspired by our recent data-driven …From mysterious cysts to CSF-in-a-dish
Posted by Laura Pellegrini, on 21 September 2020
Our brain is immersed in a clear, colourless, nutrient-rich fluid called the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which provides mechanical support to the brain and helps to circulate important molecules for brain …Delineating the making of an embryo
Posted by PierreNeveu, on 15 September 2020
By Hanna L. Sladitschek and Pierre A. Neveu Our body consists of a multitude of highly specialized tissues: the neurons in our retina seem to have little in common …Mayflies: an emergent model to investigate the evolution of winged insects
Posted by isabelalmudi, on 11 September 2020
Winged insects are the most diverse and numerous group of animals on Earth. This great diversity has been possible thanks to the acquisition of novel morphologies and lifestyles. How the …Monotreme ears and the evolution of mammal jaws
Posted by nanthwal, on 5 August 2020
Jaw joints, in most vertebrate animals that have them, form between a bone in the head called the quadrate and one in the mandible called the articular. The mandibles (lower …“If you notice something unusual in your experiments, don’t just throw it away!”
Do you have a story to tell? We can give comments on drafts and any level of editing you want, and we particularly encourage contributions from researchers for whom English is not their first language.
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Our full archive going back to 2010 is filterable by category, tag and date.