Dr Caren Norden has been appointed Darwin Professor of Animal Embryology, joining the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience in the School of Biological Sciences, from April 2026. Her lab will be based at the Gurdon Institute.
Dr Caren Norden is a developmental biologist focused on uncovering the mechanisms underlying organ formation using the retina as the main model system. Her research investigates the fundamental principles of retinal morphogenesis, using state-of-the-art imaging and image analysis to generate a quantitative appreciation of the cellular and tissue rearrangements that form the vertebrate eye.
Supported by awards, such as EMBO membership since 2020, and grants from prestigious funding bodies, including the European Research Council, Dr Norden has led internationally recognised labs at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden and at the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine in Lisbon. Throughout her career, she has made significant contributions to the understanding of retinal morphogenesis across scales, from cells to tissue and across developmental stages.
Reflecting on her appointment, Dr Norden said:
“I am more than excited to take on the Darwin Professorship at the University of Cambridge. Cambridge is one of the best places in the world to engage in curiosity-driven biology, spanning diverse areas and offering a inter- and cross-disciplinary environment. This position represents a fantastic and unique possibility for the scientific vision of my lab to make meaningful discoveries in fundamental areas of developmental neuroscience with a strong quantitative aspect and in close exchange with other disciplines. Returning to Cambridge after a good 15 years since I left to take on my first independent position feels like coming home in the best possible way.”
Prof Sarah Bray, Head of the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Dr Caren Norden to the School as the new Charles Darwin Professor of Animal Embryology. This position plays a vital role in sustaining our thriving community of developmental and reproductive biologists, brought together through the School’s Reproduction, Development and Lifelong Health Research Theme.”
Prof Ben Simons, Director of the Gurdon Institute, added:
“Caren has an outstanding track record in the study of tissue morphogenesis and retinal neurogenesis, and her work will greatly enhance our capacity in the field of human developmental biology, building on existing strengths in this area across the School.”
The Darwin Professorship at the University of Cambridge is one of the most prestigious positions in the School of Biological Sciences, endowed by the Dr E. J. Bles fund ‘for the promotion and furtherance of biology as a pure science’. Past holders of the chair include Professor Colin Austin and Professor Ron Laskey, who have made significant contributions to human in vitro fertilization and cancer diagnosis, respectively.