多细胞生物可以由数万亿个细胞组成，其中一些高度分化并执行专门的功能，而另一些则是能够替代成熟和功能性细胞的祖细胞。这种多样性引起了许多有趣而重要的问题。例如，单细胞胚胎如何产生这种细胞多样性祖细胞何时以及如何替代垂死或杀死的分化细胞为什么某些细胞变得恶性，如何变得恶性，其他细胞如何对此变化做出反应专业化和发挥作用CDN专业化领域的学生将参与一项针对这些重要问题的研究计划，并在细胞生物学，发育生物学，免疫学，癌症生物学，植物生物学，和/或神经生物学。作为研究生课程的一部分，并在与论文顾问和委员会协商后，学生
Multicellular organisms can be composed of trillions of cells, some of which are highly differentiated and perform specialized functions, while others are progenitor cells capable of replacing matured and functional cells. This diversity gives rise to many interesting and important questions. For example, how does a single-cell embryo give rise to this diversity of cells When and how do progenitor cells replace dying or killed differentiated cells Why and how do some cells become malignant and how do other cells respond to this change How do cells become specialized and mediate their function Students participating in the area of specialization CDN will be involved in a research program addressing these important questions and receive advanced training in one or more of the fields of cell biology, developmental biology, immunology, cancer biology, plant biology, and/or neurobiology.