This post is more of a reflection on the general topic of developmental biology.
It seems as though the field of developmental biology has progressed rapidly over the past two decades. With the synthesis of molecular and genetic approaches in model organisms, comparative and evolutionary insights from genomics, and the use of increasingly sophisticated microscopy techniques, applications of this knowledge to human biology have thrust developmental biology to the forefront. Issues such as therapeutic and reproductive cloning and stem cell biology grab headlines.
With this rapid growth in this topic several key questions have been bubbling within me: To what extent is developmental biology a field separate from cell biology? Is it simply cell biology over time, or is it a truly separate way of knowing, with its own educational challenges that are genuinely unique to the subject? Given the inherent ethical ramifications of developmental biology applied to humans, to what extent should ethics be incorporated into the study of developmental biology?
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