Aidan Maartens

The Node and beyond–using social media in cell and developmental biology

Traditionally, strong scientific communities have been at least partly built around physical proximity - either by members of the same department or institute, or through regular meetings and conferences. The online environment and the rise of social media platforms now make it easier to build virtual communities of geographically dispersed people with a common interest. In this article, we explore how such networks can be nurtured, focussing on the Node - a community blog for and by developmental biologists. We also discuss the value of social media outlets like Twitter in building and maintaining scientific communities online.

An interview with Ykä Helariutta

Yrjö (Ykä) Helariutta is a group leader at The Institute of Biotechnology in the University of Helsinki and at the Sainsbury Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. Recently appointed an editor at Development, his lab works on vascular development in plants and trees. We met Ykä in his Cambridge office to hear how a childhood passion for collecting led him to plant science, what Arabidopsis can tell us about trees and vice versa, and why he thinks there are many different ways of being successful in science.

An interview with Susan Strome

Susan Strome is Distinguished Professor of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, USA. Recently appointed an editor at Development, her lab studies the regulation of germ cell development in C. elegans, with a particular focus on the epigenetic transmission of chromatin states. We caught up with Susan to discuss her early career switch from prokaryotes to worms, her experiences of small and big science, and why teaching is so important to her. Summary: Susan Strome, who was recently appointed an editor at Development, talks about the value and future prospects of C. elegans research, wise career path choices, and the importance of teaching.

An interview with Richard Gardner

Richard Gardner began his career as a PhD student with Bob Edwards and ran his own lab, focusing on patterning of the early mammalian embryo, at the University of Oxford from 1973 until his retirement in 2008. A Fellow of the Royal Society since 1979, he was knighted for services to Biological Sciences in 2005 and received an Honorary Doctorate from Cambridge University in 2012. This year he was awarded the British Society of Developmental Biology (BSDB) Waddington Medal for major contributions to developmental biology in the UK. We caught up with him at the societys Spring Meeting in Warwick and discussed how a book of birds set him on a path to science, how his research was complemented by decades of advising government on scientific policy and why picking the right mentor in research is so important. Summary: Richard Gardner, winner of the BSDBs Waddington Medal, discusses his life in research, his decades as a policy advisor and his thoughts on mentorship.

Advocating developmental biology

Developmental biology is a discipline with a long and rich history, a vibrant and diverse present, and a future of tremendous potential. The field has had enormous impact beyond its own boundaries, for example providing many key concepts for medical research and laying the foundations for advances

An interview with Cliff Tabin

Cliff Tabin is George Jacob and Jacqueline Hazel Leder Professor and Chairman of the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. His lab aims to understand the genetic control of morphogenesis during embryonic development and its change over evolutionary time. We met Cliff at the Pan-American Society for Evolutionary Developmental Biologys second biennial meeting, held in Calgary in August 2017, and heard about how he got into development, how a long-standing interest in the limb has been complemented by ventures into new models and why he thinks we are in a golden age for evo-devo. Summary: Cliff Tabin talks to us about his life in science and his excitement for the present and future of evo-devo research.

An interview with Christiana Ruhrberg

Christiana Ruhrberg is Professor of Neuronal and Vascular Biology at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology in London. Her lab investigates the relationship between nerve and blood vessel development in the central nervous system. In 2018, she was awarded the British Society for Developmental Biologys Cheryll Tickle Medal, which recognises outstanding achievements of mid-career female scientists in the field. In advance of her medal lecture at the societys spring meeting, we met Christiana to find out what the award means to her, how she settled on neurovascular development after many changes in direction early in her career and her thoughts on what makes a good scientific mentor. Summary: Christiana Ruhrberg, the winner of the British Society for Developmental Biologys Cheryll Tickle Medal, discusses her research trajectory from cancer to neurovascular development and her thoughts on the position of women in the field.

An interview with Bill Harris

William ‘Bill’ Harris is Head of the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, UK, and a Fellow of both the Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences. His lab works on the development of the vertebrate nervous system, with a particular focus on cell lineage in the retina. In 2017 he was awarded the British Society for Developmental Biologys Waddington Medal for outstanding research performance and services to the community. We met Bill in his Cambridge lab to talk science, art and ice hockey. Summary: Bill Harris, winner of the BSDBs Waddington medal, talks about his early career transition from behaviour to neurodevelopment, the modelling that helped him understand the retina and his biology-inspired art.

An interview with John Gurdon

John Gurdon is a Distinguished Group Leader in the Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge. In 2012, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with Shinya Yamanaka for work on the reprogramming of mature cells to pluripotency, and his lab continues to investigate the molecular mechanisms of nuclear reprogramming by oocytes and eggs. We met John in his Cambridge office to discuss his career and hear his thoughts on the past, present and future of reprogramming. Summary: John Gurdon, who was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, talks to us about his career and his thoughts on the past, present and future of reprogramming.

An interview with Jim Smith

Jim Smith is Director of Science at the Wellcome Trust and a group leader at the Francis Crick Institute, where he was formerly Director of Research. A Fellow of both the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences, he was knighted for his services to medical research and science education in 2016. His lab works on mesoderm induction in the early vertebrate embryo. We met Jim in the Crick to hear about his life in science, his visions for the Crick and the Wellcome Trust, and his advice for early career scientists. Summary: Jim Smith, recently knighted for services to medical research and science education, talks about his research career and his hopes for the future of biomedical science.