
55th Annual
NWDB
March 16-18, 2022
NW Developmental Biology Meeting
The 55th NW Developmental Biology Meeting will be held virtually on March 17-18, 2022.
Postdoctoral, graduate student, and undergraduate trainees will present most or all an exclusively short talks program.
Speakers will form session groups coached by a NW region principal investigator to provide an added training and networking experience.
Registration extended to March 14!
Invited Speakers:
Keynote: Geraldine Seydoux, Johns Hopkins/HHMI
Education: Elly Vandegrift, University of Oregon
Plenary: Celina Juliano, UC Davis
Jeff Rasmussen, University of Washington
Blake Riggs, San Francisco State University
Verónica Di Stilio, University of Washington
Kelly Monk, OHSU
Dan Grimes, University of Oregon
Organizers: Kryn Stankunas, University of Oregon
Andrea Wills, University of Washington
Preliminary Program
Thursday March 17
9:15a Welcome - Kryn Stankunas, Billie Swalla
9:20a Group A 10-minute Short Talks; Session chair: Guy Tanentzapf
Avery Angell Swearer, University of Washington
“Probing key regulators of neural regeneration after X. tropicalis spinal cord injury”
Zaleena Akheralie, University of Toronto
“Investigating the role of alx-3 during anterior regeneration of the freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea”
Austin Seroka, University of Oregon
“Transcriptional identification and profiling of an individual neuroblast lineage from a developmental single-cell atlas of the Drosophila embryo”
10:00a break
10:10a Group B 10-minute Short Talks; Session chair: Heather Ray
Wenjun Deng, University of British Columbia
“Direct Talin-Actin Binding is Required for Mammalian Development”
Maria Constanza Mannino, University of Wyoming
“A potential role of the immune system in the regulation of brain growth”
Lauren Miller, Oregon Health & Science University
“Mechanisms of retrograde neurotrophin signaling in sensory circuit formation”
Andrea Rauschmayer, University of Washington
“The Polarity Protein Crumbs is Required for Proper Tube Elongation in Drosophila melanogaster”
11:00a break
11:10a Group C 10-minute Short Talks; Session chair: Celeste Berg
Sarah Bradshaw, University of Alberta
“Hagfish to reveal the mechanisms driving cyclostome retinogenesis”
Zachary Mayne, Montana State University
“Heightened Glycerol Permeability in Dorsal Mesoderm Cells is Required for Convergent Extension”
E. Anne Martin, University of Oregon
“Neurobeachin regulates the asymmetric subcellular distribution of electrical synapse proteins”
11:50a Lunch break
1:00p Brock Grill, Seattle Children's Research Institute
“Regulation of Autophagy Initiation during Axon Development”
1:20p Group D 10-minute Short Talks; Session chair: Bret Pearson
Evan Craig, University of Washington
“Maturation and axonal targeting of dendritic Merkel cells in the zebrafish skin”
Maria Purice, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
“The molecular atlas of C. elegans glia across sex and age”
Vincent So, University of Washington
“How do imaginal disc growth factors affect fruit fly fertility?”
Victor Lewis, University of Oregon
“Insulin-like growth factor / mTor signaling elevates global translation to amplify glucorticoid-promoted bone maturation during zebrafish fin regenerative outgrowth”
2:10p end
Friday March 18
9:15a Group E 10-minute Short Talks; Session chair: Cecilia Moens
Hannah Markovic, University of Oregon
“Zebrafish natriuretic peptide receptors are essential for axial skeletal development but not for adult fin regeneration”
Jacob Miller, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
“Characterizing Cardiovascular and Neuromuscular Changes in Embryonic Danio rerio From Triclosan Exposure During Early Development”
Priyanka Kumari, University of Washington
“Evidence from a massively parallel reporter assay that non-coding variants at 1q32/IRF6 and seven other loci directly influence risk for orofacial cleft”
Nicole Lindsay-Mosher, University of Toronto
“Cell clearance by intestinal phagocytes in the freshwater planarian”
10:05a break
10:15a Group F 10-minute Short Talks; Session chair: Alex Nechiporuk
Gavin Neil, University of Alberta
“Conserved mechanisms of cell fate determination in vertebrate photoreceptors”
Chris Lee, University of Toronto
"Investigating the Origins and Function of Planarian Glia”
Hannah McConnell, University of Washington
“The role of a Flower Meristem Identity Gene Ortholog in the Fern Ceratopteris richardii”
Colin Kenny, University of Washington
“TFAP2 paralogs activate pigmentation genes by facilitating chromatin access for MITF but inhibit cell adhesion genes independent of MITF”
11:05a break
11:15a Group G 10-minute Short Talks; Session chair: Clemens Cabernard
Benjamin Woodruff, Oregon Health & Science University
“Towards understanding the mechanisms underlying pioneer neuron growth and specification using the zebrafish lateral line”
Muriel Desbois, Seattle Children’s Research Institute
“Ubiquitin ligase activity inhibits Cdk5 to control axon termination”
Adam Isabella, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
“Mechanisms of target-specific axon guidance in the regenerating zebrafish vagus nerve”
11:55a Lunch break
1:00p Heather Ray, Idaho State University
“Masp1: A new player in ectoderm patterning?”
1:20p Awards
1:30p end
Registration
Registration Deadline: March 14, 8:59pm PT
Abstract Deadline: March 3, 8:59pm PT
You must also register separately if you submit an abstract
Registration SDB Member
Faculty $10
Postdoc/Scientist $0
Grad Student $0
Undergrad $0
Registration Non-member
Faculty $20
Postdoc/Scientist $5
Grad Student $5
Undergrad $5
Housing SDB Member
Faculty $280
Postdoc/Scientist $135
Grad Student $80
Undergrad $70
Housing Non-member
Faculty $330
Postdoc/Scientist $160
Grad Student $110
Undergrad $75
The Society for Developmental Biology subsidizes the meeting and registration fees are scaled to benefit members of the SDB. SDB membership renewals are processed automatically. New membership applications require at least two weeks to process, however, applicants may use their provisional SDB member ID found in their confirmation email to submit an abstract and register. You must be a member of SDB to be considered for Talk and Poster Prizes.
Research scientists and techs should register as postdoc/scientist.
Off Site Housing

Friday Harbor Suites
Discount Rates: call 360-378-3031 and mention NWDB
Queen Studio: $127.50
King Deluxe Studio: $136
Queen Suite: $144.50
Double Queen Suite: $161.50
King Suite: $153.00
Two Bedroom Suite: $195.50
Getting to Friday Harbor Laboratories
By Car and Ferry to Friday Harbor
Most attendees travel to the FHL by car and ferry. All ferry service leaves from Anacortes, Washington, approximately 17 miles/ 27 km west of Interstate 5. Driving time from Seattle to Anacortes (80 miles) is about 90 minutes and from Vancouver to Anacortes (150 km) is about two hours. Ferry spots are limited, so reservations are recommended.
Parking is available at the Anacortes ferry terminal, and many attendees leave their vehicles and walk on the ferry. If you choose this option, plan to arrive about 30 minutes early. The distance from town to the FHL is ~ 1.5 miles and walkable (20 min).
From SeaTac Airport in Seattle to Friday Harbor
Kenmore Airlines offers flights from Boeing Field or Lake Union near downtown Seattle, to the Friday Harbor Airport or Marina for about $330 round trip. For those with flights arriving at Seattle's SeaTac airport, Kenmore Air has a ground transportation option to connect with their flights.