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ucl-cdb.bsky.social
UCL Research Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
@ucl-cdb.bsky.social
150 followers 2 following 35 posts
At UCL CDB, we strive to gain mechanistic insight into biological processes from cells to whole organisms.

We have a long tradition of answering fundamental questions in biology and incorporate the UCL Centre for Integrative Anatomy @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social.
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ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Vacancy: #Research Fellow. The Conradt lab within @uclcdb is seeking a #postdoctoral #researcher to work on mitochondrial inheritance during asymmetric #cell division in the model worm, C. elegans. Click below for full details and to apply. www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science...
@ucl.ac.uk #Jobs
Become part of CDB
Join our vibrant, research-intensive department with a strongly collegiate atmosphere. We are constantly looking for people across research, teaching and academic roles.
www.ucl.ac.uk
November 14, 2025 at 11:31 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Design a #Christmas card. Deadline = noon, 29Oct2025: MRC/MRF Festive Science Image competition. Award max. £500. Submit a digital #image, #drawing, #painting, or a #photograph, that combines striking #scientific imagery with a festive theme.
www.medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk/news/twinkli...
Medical Research Foundation | ‘Twinkling Toxoplasma’ reveal potential…
www.medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk
October 28, 2025 at 6:01 PM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Calling all @ucl.ac.uk Early Career Research staff! Applications close 03 November 2025 for UCL's #Career Aspiration Programme. Get expert #careerguidance, #coaching and other tools/support for your #careerdevelopment within and beyond academia.
www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resour...
@ucl-c4ia.bsky.social
ECR Career Aspiration Programme
Take Charge of Your Career – Career Development Programme for Early Career Research Staff.
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 24, 2025 at 10:04 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
ucl.ac.uk has again performed strongly in @ResearchEngland’s KEF5, being recognised as one of the top #universities in England for #knowledge exchange.

This assesses how #unis are performing in activities that positively impact the #economy and wider #society.

www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/se...
UCL rated as a leading university for knowledge exchange five years in a row
UCL has been recognised as one of the top universities in England for knowledge exchange in Research England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework 2025 (KEF5), which came out today.
www.ucl.ac.uk
September 24, 2025 at 12:21 PM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Congratulations to Barbara Conradt, just elected to the @embo.org Membership. EMBO promotes excellence in #LifeSciences. Barbara said “I feel very honoured and ... look forward to interacting with other members to have a positive impact.” @ucl.ac.uk
www.embo.org/press-releas...
Outstanding life scientists elected to the EMBO Membership – Press releases – EMBO
Sixty-nine new members join the community of leading life scientists in Europe and beyond
www.embo.org
July 1, 2025 at 3:10 PM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Balancing a recent post on #wasps @uclgrantmuseum.bsky.social, now we mention #bees:

Marius @didziokas.bsky.social designs custom #LEGO sets as a hobby, which, if enough support, will be made & offered for sale:

beta.ideas.lego.com/product-idea...

@ucl-c4ia.bsky.social - comments on #anatomy?!
Prototype LEGO bees and honeycomb showing 3 bees, each having a yellow body with black stripe, black, articulated legs, black antennae and mouth parts and amber wings. One bee (left, foreground) is on a clear plastic LEGO plinth; a second bee (left of centre) is facing away from us on the an upper hexagon of a 6-hexagon, amber LEGO honeycomb (shaped roughly in a Y-formation, tilted slightly to the right); and the 3rd been on the 'ground', facing left, to the right side of the 'honeycomb'. All against a yellow/amber background having feint hexagon watermarks all over. (phew!) A bee made of LEGO modelling pieces, having a yellow body with black stripe, black, articulated legs, black antennae and mouth parts and amber wings. It is supported by a clear plastic LEGO plinth;
June 23, 2025 at 12:52 PM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
A friendly reminder that we have a YouTube channel on which we upload, when we have the #speaker's permission to do so, recordings of the #talks given by invited, external #experts in the #Cell & #Developmental #Biology field. It's here:
www.youtube.com/@uclcellandd... @ucllifesciences.bsky.social
UCL Cell and Developmental Biology
The Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology is part of the UCL Division of Biosciences in the Faculty of Life Sciences. Our mission is to gain mechanistic insight into biological process...
www.youtube.com
June 20, 2025 at 10:35 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Congratulations to our Vilaiwan Fernandes, 1/8 of the 2025 Lister #Prize winners. As dept. chief, Sandip Patel says, ... a significant honour that recognises #researchers in the early years of running their own groups. lister-institute.org.uk/a-warm-welco...
@ucl.ac.uk @ucllifesciences.bsky.social
A warm welcome to our 2025 Lister Fellows – Lister Institute
lister-institute.org.uk
June 20, 2025 at 9:12 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
@ucl.ac.uk ranks 9th in the 2026 QS World #University Rankings, the 3rd consecutive year it has held this position and its 14th in the global top 10. Among both #academics and #employers UCL is in the top 5% of ranked global institutions. @ucllifesciences.bsky.social

www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...
UCL ranked among top 10 universities in two major global rankings
UCL has been named the ninth best university in the 2026 QS World University Rankings, the third year in a row the university has held this position.
www.ucl.ac.uk
June 19, 2025 at 10:32 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Our annual Postgraduate #Research (#PGR) #Student #Symposium is on Thurs,19th. There'll be 9 posters & 18 PGR speakers ending with CDB alumnus Prof Narender Ramnani, Professor of Neuroscience, @royalholloway.bsky.social, & President of the @britishneuro.bsky.social @uclnews.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk
A white poster with UCL logo in black and details of the location of the PGR student symposium on Thurs 19 June 2025 in the JZ Young Lecture Theatre (LT) with refreshments etc in the opposite LT, Gavin de Beer
June 13, 2025 at 2:53 PM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Many congratulations to Anna Franz, who has just accepted a proleptic appointment in CDB. Anna is a @wellcometrust.bsky.social & @royalsociety.org Sir Henry Dale Fellow, contributing: excellent #research on #fat cells, an UG module, public engagement, and input to @ucl.ac.uk #biosciences policy.
A head-and-shoulders photo of a smiling Anna Franz, a woman having mid-length, straightish, side-parted brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a bright mid-yellow jumper and silver dangly earrings
June 13, 2025 at 2:27 PM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Camden Youth Jazz bands play @ Lauderdale House Waterlow Park, London from 14.30, 29 June 2025. It's a *free* event - bring a picnic, sit on the grass and listen to enthusiastic young #jazz musicians, including our Michael Duchen's youngest son (alto sax)!
www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk/camden-music...
Sundial Sundays: Camden Music Jazz Group
Camden Music Service and Lauderdale House are delighted to present performances by young people as part of Highgate Festival 2025. Come along on Sunday 29 June from 2.30pm to enjoy an afternoon of fre...
www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk
June 2, 2025 at 10:04 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
The London Open #gardens scheme is 07-08 June 2025, giving access to private or secret hidden beauty spots, including our Michael Duchen's #allotment at Branch Hill in Hampstead.
londongardenstrust.org/whatson/lond...
#allotmentlife #sustainable @ucl.ac.uk
London Open Gardens 2025 - London Parks & Gardens
Booking for London Open Gardens 2025 is now open London Open Gardens is our annual event when normally closed or hidden green spaces open their gates to our supporters. Discover rooftop gems, communit...
londongardenstrust.org
June 2, 2025 at 9:58 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
It's #PrideMonth @ucl.ac.uk! June – a month's celebration to highlight #LGBTQ+ communities and culture: come together in joy & friendship, whilst acknowledging that there is still much work to do towards #equality and #inclusion
@ucl-c4ia.bsky.social #edi #diversity
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ma...
Pride Month 2025 at UCL
Pride Month takes place every June – read on for our round-up of events happening this month plus key resources for students and staff.
www.ucl.ac.uk
June 2, 2025 at 9:32 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Congratulations to several CDB people, who have been ranked highly in Research.com's Best #Scientists in the field of #Biology and #Biochemistry 2025 in UK and world-wide, based on papers and citations. More here: research.com/careers/worl...
@ucllifesciences.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk
World Online Ranking of Best Biology and Biochemistry Scientists – 2025 Report | Research.com
On May 29, 2025, Research.com released its fourth annual report, celebrating the top scientists in these fields. Our goal is to boost the online visibility of these researchers and academics by highli...
research.com
May 30, 2025 at 8:58 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Our Patel lab published on Ca / #Parkinson’s disease, indicating a new pharmacological route to impede the disease. Funded by The Wellcome Trust & Parkinsons UK; collaborated with scientists from Brazil, York, KCL, California, Germany, India doi: 10.1083/jcb.202412055
@ucllifesciences.bsky.social
The Patel lab published on Ca++/#Parkinson’s disease, indicating a new #pharmacological route to impede the disease. Funded by @wellcometrust and @ParkinsonsUK; collaborated with scientists from Brazil, York, @ucl, #KCL, California, Germany, India doi: 10.1083/jcb.202412055
May 22, 2025 at 8:42 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Roberto Mayor's lab, with #researchers from Dresden and the @crick.ac.uk, has published a theory of #cell migration called ‘frictiotaxis’. Instead of relying on #adhesion, cells sense a gradient of #friction within the substrate. @ucllifesciences.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Frictiotaxis underlies focal adhesion-independent durotaxis - Nature Communications
Cells typically migrate toward stiffer substrates via durotaxis, relying on focal adhesions. Here, the authors show that confined cells can migrate up friction gradients without focal adhesions, revea...
www.nature.com
May 22, 2025 at 8:20 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
TOMORROW! Sign up now for a lecture from Professor Francesco Saverio Tedesco, a world-leading researcher in #muscle regeneration and #neuromuscular conditions. Saverio is lead investigator on two research projects funded by the @crick.ac.uk. Details at: www.musculardystrophyuk.org/support/even...
Crick Crash Course: Muscular dystrophy - Muscular Dystrophy UK
We’re excited to highlight an upcoming lecture from Professor Francesco Saverio Tedesco, a world-leading researcher in muscle regeneration and neuromuscular conditions - and the lead investigator on t...
www.musculardystrophyuk.org
May 6, 2025 at 11:02 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
#Lecturer in NeuroAI & Computational #Neuroscience sought for a new programme at the intersection of neuroscience, artificial intelligence & computational #biology. Calling creative, forward-thinking #researchers to shape this new field: tinyurl.com/Lecturer-AI #AI #Job @ucllifesciences.bsky.social
UCL – University College London
UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
tinyurl.com
April 24, 2025 at 10:05 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Congratulations to our new Head of Research Department, Professor Sandip Patel, Professor in Cell Signalling and previously (since Jan 2020) Deputy Head of the department. He replaces the excellent Professor Barbara Conradt, who led us for c. 6y. @ucllifesciences.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk
Photo of head and shoulders of Sandip Patel, wearing a dark T shirt, against a cream background
April 4, 2025 at 1:54 PM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Congratulations to our Roberto Mayor and Saverio Tedesco, who attended UCL's annual celebration of honours. Robert was awarded Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences and Saverio gained Fellowship of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. @ucl.ac.uk @ucllifesciences.bsky.social
Two men, each holding a glass partly full of wine or champagne, standing together in a modern, partitioned room with other people and offices in the background. They are smiling, dress smartly and wearing their passes on black ribbons hanging around their necks
April 3, 2025 at 10:19 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Barbara Conradt has stepped down as our Head after years of excellent leadership. We are now in a great position to expand and meet new challenges. From tomorrow, Sandip Patel will take the helm; we wish him well & our full support. @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social @ucllifesciences.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk
A colour photo of Barbara Conradt, from sternum to top of head, wearing a navy-large-spotted white dress and curved, light brown-framed spectacles, giving a presentation (not visible). A black & white photo of Sandip Patel from sternum to head, wearing a white T shirt with a darker top over it and dark-rimmed, narrow rectangular glasses.
March 31, 2025 at 9:01 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
On 17 Feb, @UCL starts 28 Days of #Sustainability 2025! Talks, workshops, films &c, to spark change and bring the UCL community together.

Next week: Love your #planet, #tree planting, mend & repair, net zero policy and cooking! @ucllifesciences.bsky.social www.ucl.ac.uk/sustainable/...
28 Days of Sustainability 2025
Join us for a packed programme of sustainability events taking place across UCL and beyond!
www.ucl.ac.uk
February 12, 2025 at 9:27 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
@ucl.ac.uk's #Equality, #Diversity and #Inclusion Committee of Practice is promoting our International Women's Day 2025 events in the run up to #IWD on 08 March. These events are free and open to all: www.ucl.ac.uk/womens-healt...
#AccelerateAction #edi #WomensHealth @ucllifesciences.bsky.social
International Women's Day Events 2025
UCL EGA Institute for Women’s Health are delighted to host a selection of free events to celebrate International Women's Day 2025. For full details of each event, please see further information below ...
www.ucl.ac.uk
February 10, 2025 at 9:42 AM
ucl-cdb.bsky.social
Prof Giles Hardingham of Edinburgh University will talk to us on Thursday about 'Neuro-glial interactions in #health and #disease'. This talk is part of our CDB #Seminar Series and will be hosted by Prof Patricia Salinas. #brain @ucllifesciences.bsky.social @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social #neurodegernative
Headshot of man having grey-dark, short hair, beige face, brown eyes, close-cut grey-brown beard and moustache, wearing a pale blue and white small-checked shirt with an open collar
February 3, 2025 at 11:01 AM