Comparative Developmental Biology

Ontogeny and Phylogeny Life evolved in the sea and major animal lineages originated in the oceans. The study of marine animals thus provides a fascinating resource to understand in depth the origin of major animal organs systems before they diversified into highly specialised organs found in terrestrial animals including humans. The improved resolution in the animal tree and advancements in technology such as novel sequencing, microcopy and molecular tools allow to investigate a much broader number of marine animals and their embryos than ever before. This opens the opportunity to strategically sample many species to test previous hypotheses and develop new ones. Genomic changes can be now correlated with evolutionary changes in morphology providing to ask novel questions.

Embryos... Animal life begins with an embryo. A highly controlled but evolutionary versatile program is performing the making of an animal. A concert of interactions and networks makes the shape despite the chemical and physical constraints.