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Abstract
Students will be introduced to fundamental concepts and current open questions in the field of evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo) primarily through reading, analysing and jointly discussing key literature.
Objective
The course aims to expose students to major conceptual themes of the Evo-Devo field through discussion of key papers and to active areas of current Evo-Devo research. At the end of the course, students should be able to present, think critically about and discuss key Evo-Devo concepts.
Content
Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo) is a dynamic, multidisciplinary field exploring how developmental processes shape, and are shaped by evolution. Evo-Devo seeks to understand the origins of biological form and diversity by integrating genetics, developmental biology, ecology, and evolutionary theory. Major questions include: • How do developmental systems evolve and diversify across lineages? • To what extent do developmental programs bias or constrain evolutionary trajectories? • How do ecological interactions influence development and evolution in tandem (Eco-Evo-Devo)? • What can symbiotic and microbial systems teach us about development and individuality (Holobiont Evo-Devo)? Historically rooted in comparative embryology, Evo-Devo has expanded to include genomics, systems biology, ecology, and microbiology. This course examines the conceptual foundations and current frontiers of Evo-Devo, emphasizing its growing integration with related disciplines. Students will critically engage with landmark papers and contemporary debates shaping the field.
Resources
Literature
Foundational Müller, G. B. (2007). Evo–devo: Extending the evolutionary synthesis. Nature Reviews Genetics, 8, 943–949. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg2219 Moczek, A. P., et al. (2015). The significance and scope of evolutionary developmental biology: A vision for the 21st century. Evolution & Development, 17, 198–219. https://doi.org/10.1111/ede.12125 Future Directions Moczek, A. P., et al. (2021). Evolutionary developmental biology: Past, present, and future. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 61(4), 1217–1234. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icab089 Love, A. C. & Travisano, M. (2022). The conceptual integration of Evo-Devo and the extended evolutionary synthesis. Evolution, 76(4), 713–730. https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.14469