Basic Stem Cell Biology
Research > Basic Stem Cell Biology
The mechanisms by which stem cells divide and differentiate are under intense investigation. Researchers are working in a number of different models to understand both epigenetic and genomic control of self renewal.
In the fruit fly and worm, they are actively exploring the role of "niches" in the regulation of stem cells. These studies may provide important clues as to how adult stem cells are able to regenerate new tissues throughout the organism’s lifetime.
A number of investigators across campus are also focusing on the fundamental processes that allow human embryonic stem cells to self renew and differentiate.
This research is often interdisciplinary, taking advantage of novel technology platforms for high-throughput screening. This work may provide important information useful for controlling the fate of stem cells in future studies. This, in turn, may allow their differentiation towards clinically important tissues while controlling potential tumor risk.
Faculty: Emery Bresnick, Karen Downs, Thaddeus Golos, Judith Kimble, Laura Kiessling, James Thomson, Aseem Ansari, Xin Sun