Evolutionary Cell Biology: A Report of the Findings of the NSF-sponsored Workshop on Evolutionary Cell Biology held May 29-June 1, 2012 at Airlie Conference Center, Warrenton, VA.

摘要

Because cells are the fundamental units of life, two of the most significant questions in the biological sciences are 'How do cells work' and 'How did the diversity of cellular structures and pathways arise.' The first question is the provenance of the field of cell biology, while the second, in principle, should be a central focus for evolutionary biology. Historically, cell and evolutionary biology have developed rather independently, with little exchange between the two. However, astonishing technological advances over the past decade raise the strong possibility that bringing these fields together will yield dramatic increases in our understanding of cell biological structures, functions, and processes, while also providing deep insights into the mechanisms of evolutionary change. The Workshop on Evolutionary Cell Biology (held May 29 June 1, 2012 at Airlie Conference Center outside Warrenton, VA) focused on the potential and requirements for advancing a field of Evolutionary Cell Biology. Twenty-four participants, bringing expertise in both cell and evolutionary biology, considered the key outstanding questions in Evolutionary Cell Biology (See Appendix) and envisioned an ambitious initiative anchored on an Atlas of the Biology of Cells (ABC).