Evolutionary & Developmental Biology

Evolutionary and developmental biology (Evo-Devo) studies the emergence of novel structures and functions during the evolution of organisms, and the underlying mechanisms of developmental processes. It is the study of how living organisms change over time by understanding three core mechanisms that drive this change: natural selection, genetic drift and mutation. Evo-Devo has improved our understanding of how speciation, the emergence of new species, occurs, and how different species evolve over time. Evo-Devo also has applications in medical research, since it can shed light on how diseases can arise or be prevented. Furthermore, it can inform the design of new medical treatments, and help researchers develop synthetic materials that are better adapted to the environment than before.