Center members are actively engaged in research in one or more of the defined research components of the Center.

• Early Embryogenesis:
  Events preceding formation of organs, but establishing body plan necessary for organ formation.
  
• Formation of Tissues and Organs:
  Organogenesis per se.
  
• Maintenance and Repair of Tissues and Organs:
  Control processes related to cell/tissue/organ maintenance in mature organisms (aspects of stem cell biology, cell proliferation, commitment and differentiation, apoptosis and tissue specific gene transcription).
  
• Abnormal Organ Growth or Development:
  Study of abnormal organogenesis due to one or more of the following: (1) Naturally occurring mutations. (2) Environmental factors/teratogens. (3) Dysregulation of the balance between cellular growth and differentiation (including oncogenesis). (4) Artificially induced mutations (genetic manipulation).
  
• Artificial Organ Systems:
  (1) Development of experimental in vitro systems to study structure, function, development, and disease or injury susceptibility of organs. (2) Development of tissue or cell-derived structures (synthetic, mechanical, or biological) that can functionally substitute for organs.