Certain animals can regrow (regenerate) lost body parts, whereas others cannot. This is a fascinating and important area of biology, but why only some animals have this ability is still poorly understood. The purpose of this conference symposium is to bring together researchers working on regeneration from a variety of research perspectives in order to foster integrative approaches to studying this question. Ten researchers working from different perspectives in regeneration biology, ranging from molecular and cell biology to ecology, will present current research findings and participants will discuss the state of the field and needed areas for future research. Additional researchers, including early-career scientists, will present their findings in short talks. Educators and scientists will also share novel approaches on teaching principles of regeneration biology in classroom and laboratory settings. Women, minorities, and early career scientists are well represented among the symposium presenters and participants. It is anticipated that this symposium will help foster needed crosstalk between different sub-disciplines of regeneration biology and enhance future research efforts.
