zur Nieden Research Group at UC Riverside

What is Developmental Biology?

 

Developmental biology is the study of the basic life processes of organisms aimed at understanding the normal progression of maturation and growth as well as developmental abnormalities such as Down syndrome and physical birth defects.

 

Scientists often study development using stem cells as a model. Stem cells are unspecialized cells can be derived from an embryonic, fetal, or adult organism. Stem cells are characterized by their ability to self-reproduce for lengthy or life-long periods of time and the ability to specialize into specific cell types during a process called differentiation. By exposing cells to special combinations of proteins, vitamins, and other nutrients, scientists can encourage stem cells to become specific kinds of cells such as bone and heart cells.

 

Scientists look at the way stem cells differentiate into specific tissues under different conditions (e.g., exposure to harmful chemicals, in conditions mimicking diseases such as diabetes) in order to understand how such conditions can affect normal development during pregnancy. Thus,  the outcomes of exposure to toxic substances, drugs, and/or various maternal diseases can be studied and appropriate protective measures  for the public can be recommended.