International Symposium on Morphogenesis

The Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) of Heidelberg University will host a symposium on 20 and 21 June 2013 on morphogenesis, the process that causes plant and animal organisms to develop their shape. Three hundred participants are expected to attend the interdisciplinary event, which will focus on the cellular, molecular and biophysical aspects of morphogenetic processes. In addition to researchers from Heidelberg, speakers include experts from France, Great Britain, Canada and Switzerland.

Discussions will particularly revolve around how genetic information is used to interconnect tissues to eventually form complex three-dimensional structures like a flower or a brain. The multifaceted topic will be explored from different organisation levels, from cells to tissues to entire organisms. Scientists will also illustrate their findings using a broad range of biological model systems, including mice, fish, insects and plants. The quantitative research paradigms of mathematics and physics used to study morphogenesis will likewise be discussed. Along with the main speakers, doctoral students and post-docs will also present their findings. The symposium is supported by the Klaus Tschira Stiftung and the Deutsch-Französische Hochschule. Additional partners are the Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling Graduate School of Heidelberg University and the Company of Biologists.

The Centre for Organismal Studies unites zoology and plant science within the Heidelberg Faculty of Biosciences into a joint interdisciplinary institution. The COS is dedicated to the study of the complex biological mechanisms of living systems, from the molecule to the cell to the entire organism, as well as its interaction with the environment. The “Building beauty – from genes to shape” symposium is designed to advance the exchange of research and scientific cooperation in these fields. The event – held in English – is also open to the interested public.