Stein Aerts
KU Leuven
Belgium
Overview
This conference will take place at EMBL Heidelberg, with the option to attend virtually.
Registration is not yet open for this event. If you are interested in receiving more information please register your interest.
Symposium overview
Developmental biology is inherently interdisciplinary. It draws on insights from embryology, genetics, cell and molecular biology, biophysics, systems biology, multi-omics, evolutionary biology, and quantitative biology to unravel how organisms develop. These fields evolve rapidly, reshaping the research landscape and driving innovation. This new symposium seeks to highlight the cutting-edge methodological and conceptual breakthroughs redefining this field.
The meeting will explore the dynamic interface of developmental biology with emerging technologies and transformative concepts to tackle fundamental questions on patterning, morphogenesis, cell differentiation, growth, organogenesis, regeneration, and evolution. It will spotlight state-of-the-art methodologies, including multi-modal imaging, synthetic developmental biology, AI-driven insights, advances in genetic engineering, and high-throughput genotype-to-phenotype platforms. By bridging in vivo and ex vivo systems—such as gastruloids and organoids—with non-model organisms, we aim to uncover new conceptual frameworks to understand developmental complexity.
The symposium will feature researchers at the forefront of the field, addressing processes in physiological contexts (e.g., in-utero development, oogenesis) and through theoretical lenses (e.g., information propagation, dynamical systems), fostering a holistic perspective on development in its full biological and conceptual richness. This meeting will connect a wide community of researchers interested in developmental processes, seeding a reference meeting on modern developmental biology.
Speakers
James Briscoe
The Francis Crick Institute
UK
Marianne Bronner
Caltech
USA
Margarida Cardoso Moreira
The Francis Crick Institute
UK
Miguel Concha
University of Chile
Chile
Michael Dorrity
EMBL Heidelberg
Germany
Omaya Dudin
University of Geneva
Switzerland
Takashi Hiiragi
Hubrecht Institute
The Netherlands
Mounia Lagha
Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier
France
Pulin Li
Whitehead Institute
USA
Darío Lupiáñez
Andalusian Center for Developmental Biology CABS
Spain
Andrea Pauli
Vienna Biocenter
Austria
Olivier Pourquié
Harvard Medical School
USA
Mitinori Saitou
Kyoto University
Japan
Melina Schuh
Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences
Germany
Ben Simons
Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge
UK
Berna Sozen
Yale University
USA
Scientific organisers
Justin Crocker
EMBL Heidelberg
Germany
Nicoletta Petridou
EMBL Heidelberg
Germany
Alexander Schier
University of Basel
Switzerland
Joanna Wysocka
Stanford University
USA
Sponsors
Sponsorship opportunities
We offer a variety of event sponsoring possibilities, with the flexibility to select a set sponsorship package or combine individual sponsorship options to suit your event budget. Discounts are available for companies sponsoring multiple events at EMBL Heidelberg. View other conferences, or contact sponsorship@embl.de for further information.
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About
EMBO | EMBL Symposia promote scientific communication and collaboration in the European research area. They provide scientists with a platform to discuss and exchange ideas on forward-looking topics and new developments in the life sciences.
Topics emphasise upcoming developments and the interdisciplinary nature of related fields. Jointly funded and organised by EMBO and EMBL – and complementary to their respective courses, workshops, and conference programmes – the symposia promote scientific communication and collaboration.
All symposia are held in the EMBL Advanced Training Centre (ATC) in Heidelberg, Germany, or virtually.
Date: 8 - 11 Jun 2027
Location: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual
Venue: EMBL Advanced Training Centre
Organisers:
-
Justin Crocker
EMBL Heidelberg, Germany -
Nicoletta Petridou
EMBL Heidelberg, Germany -
Alexander Schier
Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland -
Joanna Wysocka
Stanford University, USA
Contact: EMBL Events