The journal Development and its publisher The Company of Biologists are excited to announce the launch of the Node Network, a global directory of developmental and stem cell biologists.

Scientists often have a hard time finding the right people for professional purposes, whether this be committee and panel members, referees for papers and grants, speakers for conferences and seminar series, or expert sources. Another challenge is for these roles to represent the diversity of their scientific fields, an issue epitomised by male-dominated speaker lists and so-called ‘manels’.

The Node Network aims to address these challenges, helping our users to identify individuals that might not otherwise spring to mind. The Network is entirely inclusive – any member of the developmental and stem cell biology community, at any stage of their career, can join. Members of the Network provide information on scientific field, model organism, place of work and career stage. They can also voluntarily provide details on aspects of diversity such as gender, race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+ identity and disability status. This inclusivity means that the Network can be used solely from a scientific perspective, but can also help those wanting to better promote diversity.

James Briscoe, Editor in Chief of Development and senior group leader at the Francis Crick Institute, conceived the idea for the Node Network and has been working with Development’s in-house team on the project. He said “I’m excited about the launch of the Node Network. I hope it will become a useful resource for the community and would encourage anyone interested to register and to use the directory. Together we can support our diverse and inclusive field.”

You can find out more about the Network and register to access it at https://thenode.biologists.com/networkinfo/

ENDS

Contact: Aidan Maartens, Community Manager, the Node, Development.
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 653872
Email: aidan.maartens@biologists.com
Website: https://thenode.biologists.com/networkinfo/
Twitter: @the_Node