Behind the Scenes Through One Embryologist’s Lens

Two dozen scientists gathered at the Marine Biological Laboratory for the 6-week Embryology course this summer to explore the questions and technologies driving modern developmental biology. For Emily Setton, a course participant and postdoctoral research associate at the University of Florida, the experience offered a chance to step back and see her own research from a new perspective.

“My biggest gain from the course was the ability to work with embryos from so many classic model systems,” Setton said. “I’ve read the literature surrounding these taxa but never had the chance to work with a canonical study system. Getting my hands on the embryos that have contributed so much to my foundational knowledge and helped frame the evolutionary context to my graduate, and now postdoctoral, work was amazing.” 

For this invertebrate biologist, whose research focuses on the evolution of animal body parts, working alongside a diverse group of scientists broadened her perspective on how researchers approach biological questions, the different methods they use to answer them, and the emerging tools shaping the future of embryological research.

The breadth of the course also gave her an opportunity to consider where her own work fits within developmental biology and where it might go next, Setton said. 

In a new video, she takes viewers behind the scenes of her summer at the MBL, reflecting on the science and connections that shaped her time in the Embryology course.