Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024

Abstract The third iteration of the Cnidarian Model Systems Meeting (Cnidofest) was held August 14–17th, 2024 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. The meeting featured presentations from laboratories representing 11 countries, covering a broad range of topics related to cnidarian species. The rese...

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Main Authors: Whitney B. Leach, Leslie Babonis, Celina E. Juliano, Nagayasu Nakanishi, Christine E. Schnitzler, Patrick R. H. Steinmetz, Michael J. Layden
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:EvoDevo
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13227-025-00247-5
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author Whitney B. Leach
Leslie Babonis
Celina E. Juliano
Nagayasu Nakanishi
Christine E. Schnitzler
Patrick R. H. Steinmetz
Michael J. Layden
author_facet Whitney B. Leach
Leslie Babonis
Celina E. Juliano
Nagayasu Nakanishi
Christine E. Schnitzler
Patrick R. H. Steinmetz
Michael J. Layden
author_sort Whitney B. Leach
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The third iteration of the Cnidarian Model Systems Meeting (Cnidofest) was held August 14–17th, 2024 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. The meeting featured presentations from laboratories representing 11 countries, covering a broad range of topics related to cnidarian species. The research highlighted diverse topics, with sessions focused on regeneration, evo-devo, genomics, symbiosis, cell biology, physiology, neurobiology, and development. A notable shift at this meeting was the extent to which established cnidarian model systems have caught up with the classical laboratory models such as Drosophila and vertebrates, with modern genomic, genetic, and molecular tools now routinely applied. In addition, more cnidarian systems are now being developed for functional studies by the community, enhancing our ability to gain fundamental insights into animal biology that are otherwise difficult in the complex bilaterian model systems. Together, the integration of cnidarian and bilaterian model systems provides researchers with a broader toolkit for selecting animal models best suited to address their specific biological questions.
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issn 2041-9139
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publishDate 2025-06-01
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series EvoDevo
spelling doaj-art-f1655c02fc7f4f48962b6c866fbc9e872025-08-20T02:37:14ZengBMCEvoDevo2041-91392025-06-0116111310.1186/s13227-025-00247-5Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024Whitney B. Leach0Leslie Babonis1Celina E. Juliano2Nagayasu Nakanishi3Christine E. Schnitzler4Patrick R. H. Steinmetz5Michael J. Layden6Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh UniversityDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of CaliforniaFulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Biological Sciences, University of ArkansasWhitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Department of Biology, University of FloridaMichael Sars Centre, University of BergenDepartment of Biological Sciences, Lehigh UniversityAbstract The third iteration of the Cnidarian Model Systems Meeting (Cnidofest) was held August 14–17th, 2024 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. The meeting featured presentations from laboratories representing 11 countries, covering a broad range of topics related to cnidarian species. The research highlighted diverse topics, with sessions focused on regeneration, evo-devo, genomics, symbiosis, cell biology, physiology, neurobiology, and development. A notable shift at this meeting was the extent to which established cnidarian model systems have caught up with the classical laboratory models such as Drosophila and vertebrates, with modern genomic, genetic, and molecular tools now routinely applied. In addition, more cnidarian systems are now being developed for functional studies by the community, enhancing our ability to gain fundamental insights into animal biology that are otherwise difficult in the complex bilaterian model systems. Together, the integration of cnidarian and bilaterian model systems provides researchers with a broader toolkit for selecting animal models best suited to address their specific biological questions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13227-025-00247-5CnidofestCnidariansH. vulgarisN. vectensisH. symbiolongicarpusAnemone
spellingShingle Whitney B. Leach
Leslie Babonis
Celina E. Juliano
Nagayasu Nakanishi
Christine E. Schnitzler
Patrick R. H. Steinmetz
Michael J. Layden
Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024
EvoDevo
Cnidofest
Cnidarians
H. vulgaris
N. vectensis
H. symbiolongicarpus
Anemone
title Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024
title_full Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024
title_fullStr Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024
title_full_unstemmed Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024
title_short Discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at Cnidofest 2024
title_sort discoveries and innovations in cnidarian biology at cnidofest 2024
topic Cnidofest
Cnidarians
H. vulgaris
N. vectensis
H. symbiolongicarpus
Anemone
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13227-025-00247-5
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AT nagayasunakanishi discoveriesandinnovationsincnidarianbiologyatcnidofest2024
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