This interview, performed by the guest editors of this Int. J. Dev. Biol. Special Issue on Regeneration, narrates the story of Elly M. Tanaka on her regeneration research journey. The main goal is to get a glimpse of the thoughts and scientific history of this leading figure in regeneration biology. In addition to her scientific history, we will learn about her captivating determination to ask relevant questions in science and her use of animal models for solving complex problems.