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The goal of the research conducted in UCI's Developmental Biology Center (DBC) is to understand the normal processes of development and homeostasis. Development begins with embryogenesis and culminates with formation of an adult animal. Homeostasis refers to the process whereby tissues, such as skin, are continuously rebuilt in adult animals. Abnormal development during embryogenesis is a common cause of birth defects , while abnormal homeostasis is commonly associated with cancer or degenerative disease.
The faculty in the DBC use a wide range of experimental approaches to understand development. The current research areas fall into several themes. These include cancer biology , cell biology , cellular degeneration and regeneration , cellular signaling , growth , patterning and differentiation , and environmental impact .
Advances in research in these areas provides valuable basic information about how development and homeostasis are controlled. This information can then be used to develop tools for diagnosis and treatment of human disease associated with abnormalities in either process.
The DBC facilitates this research by providing access to state of the art instrumentation (core facilities - link) and by fostering events that spur the development of interdisciplinary research. We currently provide confocal microscopy, image analysis, flow cytometry and cell sorting, surface plasmon resonance molecular interaction equipment and robotics. We also sponsor symposia, seminars and other gatherings to discuss both science itself and implications of the science.
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