in the first part of the talk i will discuss doubling constructions. in particular i will discuss in some detail a recent doubling construction for an equatorial two-sphere in the round three-sphere, and also potential generalizations for self-shrinkers of the mean curvature flow. in the second part of the talk i will briefly discuss the current understanding of desingularization constructions for minimal surfaces and self-shrinkers. in the third and final part i will discuss open uniqueness questions for closed embedded minimal surfaces in the round three-sphere inspired by the above constructions.