Evolution + Development

A new paper from the lab of Whitehead Institute Director Ruth Lehmann reveals how primordial germ cells in flies migrate from one end of an embryo to the other during development. The work could have implications for how scientists study germ cells in vivo, as well as other motile cells such as cancer cells.

This multimedia story collection explores the myriad of ways in which an organism's development is orchestrated. Visit this page to see all the stories in the Building a Body collection.

A study on asymmetric cell division in fruit fly stem cells took an unexpected twist, revealing how a dividing stem cell “chooses” which of its daughters receives more ribosomal DNA in order to pass on enough of these essential genes to subsequent generations.

An intricate set of processes govern how cells know where to go and what to become during development. In this article, learn how Whitehead Institute researchers are investigating the various biological mechanisms that serve as the architects of life forms.

Research from Whitehead Institute Member Peter Reddien’s lab identifies a gene expressed in the skin that covers a wound as essential for regeneration to occur after large injuries in planarians.

Evolution is often furthered through conflict. New research from the lab of Whitehead Institute Member Mary Gehring zeros in on how parent plants butt heads over control of gene expression in the nutrient rich tissue called the endosperm.

Researchers in the lab of Whitehead Institute Member Iain Cheeseman explore the developmental origins of a body plan in bat stars.

A new screening method from the labs of Whitehead Institute Member Jonathan Weissman, Britt Adamson at Princeton University, and Editas Medicine provides a deeper look at how cells repair DNA damage. The method could help researchers assess the action of new gene editing methods.