Ensamblando el embrión de la biología del desarrollo en Uruguay

In Uruguay, a country with a small population, and hence a small scientific community, there were no classical embryologists as such in the past. From the decade of 1950, however, a cumulus of favorable conditions gave rise to highly active and modern research groups in the fields of cytology and physiology, that eventually contributed to developmental biology. The advent of a long dictatorship between de 1970’s and 1980’s caused two things: a strong lag in local research and the migration of young investigators who learned abroad new disciplines and technologies. The coming back to democracy allowed for the return of some, now as solid researchers, and together with those who stayed,built a previously inexistent postgraduate training program and a globally-integrated academy that fostered diversity of research disciplines, including developmental biology. In the present work we highlight the key contribution of pioneer researchers and the significant role played by academic and funding national institutions in the growth and consolidation of developmental biology in our country.