The mission of the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine is to carry out basic and translational research into the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling embryonic development, adult homeostasis, and aging, and to use this information to inform new treatments for congenital and adult-onset diseases and to promote healthy aging.

Our collaborative research teams use cell-based and animal model systems and apply their findings to human development and disease by analyzing human tissues through collaborations with clinical researchers and our institutional biobanks. We are also generating human stem cell-derived platforms and tissues for functional studies of human disease, drug screening, and therapeutic transplantation. These models can be built from a patient’s own cells, for instance from a simple blood draw, which means we can screen for therapeutics that not only will work well specifically in humans rather than animal model systems, but also will be effective for that particular individual.

Exciting recent findings from our Department include new insights into the ways in which cells communicate and move in developing embryos; the discovery of a mechanism underlying aging of blood stem cells which can be targeted therapeutically; and the use of human stem cell-derived mini-brain tissue to identify key Alzheimer's disease mechanisms and develop potential therapeutics.

Since its earliest days, Mount Sinai has welcomed patients regardless of background, at a time when many hospitals turned people away. That founding spirit continues to guide the Department today. We are dedicated to ensuring that the next generation of scientists reflects the full range of backgrounds and perspectives our field needs to thrive. We foster an equitable and inclusive environment for our entire community.

If you share our passion for developmental biology and regenerative medicine, we invite you to join us, as a faculty member, trainee, student, or scientist, in turning today's discoveries into tomorrow's cures.

Sarah E. Millar, PhD
Dean for Academic and Scientific Affairs
Chair, Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
Director, Dean’s Cores Facilities
Professor, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine; Dermatology; Oncological Sciences
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai