In this interview, we talk with developmental biologist Eddy De Robertis about his wider scientific career and the history of developmental biology in Latin America. We discuss the early days of the homeobox, the discovery of the mechanism of the Spemann-Mangold organizer function in Xenopus embryos, and related Evo-Devo. De Robertis reflects on trends of how conducting biological research has changed over the years and he provides advice for young scientists.