"The Evolution of Multicellularity and Cellular Differentiation"

March 14 - 15, 2024
Georgia Tech

Petit Biotech Building
315 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA
 

Few evolutionary innovations have been as impactful as the evolution of multicellularity, which opened the door to cellular differentiation and coordinated morphogenesis. Yet major gaps persist in our knowledge of how, when, and why this innovation evolved. This is due, in part, to extensive intellectual siloing that exists among developmental biologists, evolutionary biologists, paleontologists, physicists and mathematicians working on different aspects of this problem. This 32nd Annual Suddath Symposium will be focused on cutting through traditional disciplinary norms and expectations by presenting cutting-edge research that will open new routes for interdisciplinary research. 

The Suddath Symposium is held annually to celebrate the life and contribution of F.L. "Bud" Suddath by discussing the latest developments in bioengineering and bioscience. The speakers include leading researchers from around the world, and the research topic changes each year. This highly-interactive symposium has been taking place for over 30 years and is supported by the Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech.

Symposium Co-chairs:

2024 Featured Speakers

Magdalena Bezanilla, Ph.D.

 

Magdalena Bezanilla, Ph.D.

Dartmouth University

"Tissue Patterning from a Single Cell Perspective" 
Omaya Dudin, Ph.D.

 

Omaya Dudin, Ph.D. 

EPFL Switzerland

"Ichthyosporeans and the Evolution of Animal Embryogenesis"
Nicole King, Ph.D.

 

Nicole King, Ph.D.

UC, Berkeley

"Mating and Multicellularity in the Closest Living Relatives of Animals"
Andrew Knoll, Ph.D.

 

Andrew Knoll, Ph.D.

Harvard University

"The Evolution of Complex Multicellularity: An Earth System Framework"

Symposium Speakers

Ozan Bozdag
Ozan Bozdag, Ph.D.

Georgia Tech

"A Thousand Days of Change: Snowflake Yeast's Path to Multicellularity"
Andrés García - Exec. Director, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Tech
Andrés J. García, Ph.D., F.B.S.E.

Georgia Tech

"Synthetic Matrices for Human Organoids"
Melissa Kemp
Melissa Kemp, Ph.D.

Georgia Tech

"Discovery of Organizational Principles from Multicellular Agent-based Modeling"
Shuyi Nie
Shuyi Nie, Ph.D.

Georgia Tech

"Dynamic Regulation of Cell Adhesion Molecules During Collective Migration of Neural Crest Cells"
Alberto Stolfi
Alberto Stolfi, Ph.D.

Georgia Tech

“Developmental Transitions and Reconfigurations in a Multicellular Life Cycle”
 
Peter Yunker
Peter Yunker, Ph.D.

Georgia Tech

“Multicellular is Different: Emergent Physical Properties and the Evolution of Multicellularity”