School of Medicine
Showing 1-10 of 19 Results
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Philip Beachy
The Ernest and Amelia Gallo Professor in the School of Medicine, Professor of Urology, of Developmental Biology and, by courtesy, of Chemical and Systems Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsFunction of Hedgehog proteins and other extracellular signals in morphogenesis (pattern formation), in injury repair and regeneration (pattern maintenance). We study how the distribution of such signals is regulated in tissues, how cells perceive and respond to distinct concentrations of signals, and how such signaling pathways arose in evolution. We also study the normal roles of such signals in stem-cell physiology and their abnormal roles in the formation and expansion of cancer stem cells.
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Dominique Bergmann
Professor of Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe use genetic, genomic and cell biological approaches to study cell fate acquisition, focusing on cases where cell fate is correlated with asymmetric cell division.
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Helen M. Blau
The Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Professor and Director, Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsProf. Helen Blau's research area is regenerative medicine with a focus on stem cells. Her research on nuclear reprogramming and demonstrating the plasticity of cell fate using cell fusion is well known and her laboratory has also pioneered the design of biomaterials to mimic the in vivo microenvironment and direct stem cell fate. Current findings are leading to more efficient iPS generation, cell based therapies by dedifferentiation a la newts, and discovery of novel molecules and therapies.
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Michael F. Clarke, M.D.
Karel H. and Avice N. Beekhuis Professor in Cancer Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Clarke maintains a laboratory focused on two areas of research: i) the control of self-renewal of normal stem cells and diseases such as cancer and hereditary diseases; and ii) the identification and characterization of cancer stem cells. His laboratory is investigating how perturbations of stem cell regulatory machinery contributes to human disease. In particular, the laboratory is investigating epigenetic regulators of self renewal, the process by which stem cells regenerate themselves.
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Tushar Desai
Associate Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe investigate the cellular and molecular events that regulate proper development of the lungs, including how the gas exchange region is maintained and renewed throughout life. We apply this knowledge to dissect how dysregulation of these normal processes can cause or contribute to specific lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, and lung cancer, and we are interested in uncovering how lung stem cells are regulated in the hopes of harnessing them as a regenerative therapy for patients.
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Margaret T. Fuller
Reed-Hodgson Professor in Human Biology and Professor of Genetics and of Obstetrics/Gynecology (Reproductive and Stem Cell Biology)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsRegulation of self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation in adult stem cell lineages. Developmental tumor suppressor mechanisms and regulation of the switch from proliferation to differentiation. Cell type specific transcription machinery and regulation of cell differentiation. Developmental regulation of cell cycle progression during male meiosis.
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Seung K. Kim M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Developmental Biology and, by courtesy, of Medicine (Endocrinology)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe study the genetics of pancreatic islet cell differentiation using molecular, embryologic and genetic methods in several model systems, including mice, embryonic stem cells, and Drosophila. Our work suggests that critical factors required for islet development are also needed to maintain essential functions of the mature islet. Our knowledge of genetic and cellular pathways governing islet formation has allowed us to use stem cell lines to produce islet replacements in vitro.
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Kyle Loh
Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology (Stem Cell)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe have developed a strategy to generate fairly pure populations of various human tissue progenitors in a dish from embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We have delineated the sequential lineage steps through which ESCs diversify into various tissues, and in so doing, developed methods to exclusively induce certain fates at the expense of others. The resultant pure populations of tissue progenitors are the fundamental building blocks for regenerative medicine.
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Michelle Monje
Associate Professor of Neurology and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery, of Pediatrics, of Pathology and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Monje Lab studies the molecular and cellular mechanisms of postnatal neurodevelopment. This includes microenvironmental influences on neural precursor cell fate choice in normal neurodevelopment and in disease states.
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Roeland Nusse
Virginia and Daniel K. Ludwig Professor in Cancer Research and the Reed-Hodgson Professor in Human Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur laboratory studies Wnt signaling in development and disease. We found recently that Wnt proteins are unusual growth factors, because they are lipid-modified. We discovered that Wnt proteins promote the proliferation of stem cells of various origins. Current work is directed at understanding the function of the lipid on the Wnt, using Wnt proteins as factors the expand stem cells and on understanding Wnt signaling during repair and regeneration after tissue injury.