Jeremy Brockes (U. College London) - Evolution of mechanisms underlying limb regeneration in salamanders
Forest Gahn (Bringham Young U.) - Sublethal predation and regeneration in extant and fossil crinoids
John Lawrence (U. South Florida) - Energetic cost of arm loss and regeneration in stellate echinoderms
Tara Maginnis (U. Texas) - Functional costs of autotomy and regeneration in insects
Alejandro Sanchez Alvarado (U. Utah) - Stem cells and planarian regeneration
Rob Steele (U. California - Irvine) - Developmental basis of Hydra regeneration and budding
Kelly Ai-Sun Tseng (Tufts U.) - Bioelectric events and vertebrate regeneration
Janie Wulff (Florida State U.) - Ecological variables influencing regeneration in sponges
Sara Lindsay (U. Maine) - Ecology of injury in marine invertebrates
Alexa Bely (U. Maryland) - Evolutionary loss of regeneration in annelids

The capacity for regeneration is widely distributed among the Metazoa. Although great strides have recently been made towards understanding the developmental and molecular basis of regeneration in a few model organisms, a central question remains: Why does the ability to regenerate vary so strikingly across taxa? To answer this question we must understand the developmental, ecological, and evolutionary processes that have shaped the distribution of regeneration. For example, we will need to identify which features of regeneration are homologous across animals; the conditions under which regeneration is adaptive, neutral, or maladaptive; the reasons why regeneration may be maintained even when it is not under active selection; and the ecological factors, physiological processes, and developmental mechanisms that may constrain or promote the ability of animals to regenerate lost tissue. This symposium will feature ten speakers studying animal regeneration from a broad range of perspectives and working on diverse taxa in order to help synthesize what we know regarding why and how regeneration ability varies across groups and to identify the major gaps in our knowledge. A group discussion will be held at the conclusion of the symposium to discuss these topics.

Contributed Sessions*
"Research Complementary to the Symposium"
& "Regeneration in the Classroom"

Several contributed sessions complementary to the symposium will be held at the meeting. These will include one poster session and two oral sessions. Contributed presentations will cover primary research on regeneration on a broad range of organisms as well as how to integrate regeneration studies into the classroom to achieve educational goals.

* Limited funds may be available to help defray registration costs for contributed session participants. Please contact us (Alexa / Sara) for more information.