Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
Learn. Discover. Make the unknown known.

We rigorously pursue answers to the fundamental questions of biological and biomedical sciences. 

Faculty and students in lab coats examining a specimen under a microscope in a research laboratory.
Investigating and Understanding the Fundamentals of Life

Since 1854, the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology has been dedicated to guiding the next generation of leaders to pursue rigorous fundamental questions in biological and biomedical sciences with an eye on the future.

Our faculty, students and trainees pursue discovery-driven research in the disciplines of cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, neuroscience, organogenesis, stem cell biology, and tissue repair and regeneration.

Contact Us
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
3062 Biomedical Sciences Research Bldg.
109 Zina Pitcher Place
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2200
ABOUT US

Explore the evolution of our Department over more than a century.

EDUCATION

We offer programs for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, as well as post-baccalaureate and post-doctoral trainees.

PEOPLE

Meet the remarkable faculty, staff, postdoc fellows, and students of CDB.

Cell & Development Biology department in action

Watch the Cell and Development Biology department in action on campus in this short video.

Welcome from the Chair

In CDB, we value an eclectic mix of junior, mid-career and senior faculty, of model systems and cutting-edge technologies, and of trainees at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels. By synergizing, we investigate, discover, and understand the biology that will shape the textbooks of tomorrow.

Department Chair, Cell & Developmental Biology
faculty profile pierre coulombe
Upcoming Events View all CDB Upcoming Events
4th Year Graduate Student Seminar Series with Mayowa Akinwale, PhD Candidate
Join the CDB 4th year graduate seminar series with Mayowa Akinwale (Spence Lab) presenting "STAT3 Driven Regulation of Lower Airway Progenitor Cells." This seminar will be held on Wednesday, April 3, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM in BSRB ABC Seminar Rooms, in-person only.
Clothing Swap
CDB invites you to participate in our upcoming Clothing Swap event, which is not only a great opportunity to refresh your wardrobe but also a wonderful way to contribute to sustainability. All department members are encouraged to donate gently used clothing items, and of course, to take part in the swap. We welcome professional attire and accessories and clothes for day-to-day work.
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CDB Seminar Series: "Dedifferentiation of the Stem Cells: Cell-fate Ambiguity for Tissue Homeostasis"
Mayu Oguro, M.D., Ph.D. will present " Dedifferentiation of the Stem Cells: Cell-fate Ambiguity for Tissue Homeostasis " on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, from 9:30 to 10:30 AM in BSRB ABC Seminar Rooms.
Mary Oguro lab image
Dissertation Seminar: Jesse Cisneros Solis
Please join us for Jesse Cisneros Solis' Dissertation Defense, "Kinesin-3 KIF1A is a Diligent Worker," on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 1:00 PM in the East Conference Room, 4th Floor, Rackham Building, in-person or virtually. Advisor: Kristen Verhey
2025 CDB Celebration
The 2025 CDB Celebration will feature an alumni presentation and awards ceremony from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM in BSRB Kahn Auditorium with a reception to follow in the BSRB ABC Conference Rooms.
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Dissertation Defense: Jacquelyn Roberts
Please join us for Jacquelyn Roberts' Dissertation Defense, "Cryo-EM Insights into the Architecture and Functional Resilience of the Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm Type IV Secretion System," on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM at 2901 Taubman Health Sciences Building, in-person only. Dissertation Committee: Melanie Ohi (Chair), Ryan Baldridge, Tobias Giessen, Nicole Koropatkin, Shyamal Mosalaganti, and Michele Swanson.
4th Year Graduate Student Seminar Series with LiAng Yao, PhD Candidate
Join the CDB 4th year graduate seminar series with LiAng Yao (Heemskerk Lab) presenting "Signaling Requirements for Human Primordial Germ-Cell Maintenance." This seminar will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM in BSRB ABC Seminar Rooms, in-person only.
Featured News & Stories See all news
Department News
Congratulations to Gregg Myers!
Gregg (Khoriaty lab) successfully defended his thesis, "Identifying and Validating Novel Regulators of Erythroid Differentiation," on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
Department News
Congratulations to Sarah Steiner
Congratulations to Sarah (Pierre Coulombe Lab) on her induction into the U-M chapter of the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society.
Department News
Congratulations to Haeyoung Park!
Haeyong (Allen lab) successfully defended her thesis, "Distinct and Overlapping Roles of Glis in Olfactory Epithelium Development," on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
Department News
Congratulations to Yangbo Xiao!
Yangbo successfully defended her thesis, "Understanding the role of biomolecular condensates in circadian regulation," on Friday, April 11, 2025.
Health Lab Podcast in brackets with a background with a dark blue translucent layers over cells
Health Lab Podcast
This worm can live forever
Figuring out the secrets of planarian worms' immortality could lead to insights about aging for mammals, including people.
Department News
Congratulations to Ye Yuan!
Ye (Yadlapalli lab) successfully defended his thesis, “Unraveling Cellular Structure and Organization of Circadian Clocks,” on April 10, 2025.
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