Evolutionary Developmental Biology (C1) 2011

One major goal of evolutionary biology is to understand how morphological variation arises within populations and how species diverge. Four major challenges in understanding the genetic and molecular basis of morphological evolution are the identification of loci underlying trait divergence, the elucidation of functional changes within these loci, tracing the origin of functional variation and adaptations in populations, and reconstruction of how major innovations have been assembled over time. Current research in evolutionary developmental biology is addressing these challenges in a variety of model animals, plants, and microbes. The pace of progress is such that it is now possible to pose general questions about the process of morphological evolution, such as: are there any general themes underlying the genetic and developmental basis of variation and divergence? And, are the phenomena and mechanisms observable over short time scales sufficient to explain processes that have unfolded over much longer time scales in the fossil record? The purpose of this Keystone meeting on evolutionary developmental biology is to gather the leading researchers across the discipline to share emerging information and to address these general questions. The prospective speakers include the most notable contributors to the field and emerging young investigators who together constitute an exceptionally broad representation of this highly interdisciplinary research field.