Laboratories

As a student in our Development, Regeneration and Stem Cells (DRS) Graduate Training Program, you will devote a significant portion of your time to research. Explore our laboratories and learn about our investigators.

Lab NameDescription
Bieker Laboratory Red blood cell differentiation
Blenkinsop Laboratory Investigating retina disease and regeneration
Cagan Laboratory Using Drosophila to explore cancer, diabetes, and rare genetic diseases, combining genetics, chemistry, and computation to build new therapeutics. We also have opened the Center for Personalized Cancer Therapeutics, a novel fly-to-bedside clinical trial
Cai Laboratory Deciphering transcriptional pathways controlling mammalian heart development and regeneration. Uncovering signaling cascades underlying early heart development has great implications for the research of cardiac stem cell biology and etiology of human congenital heart disease.
Chess Laboratory Studying unusual mechanisms involved in regulating gene expression
Dubois Laboratory Investigating human heart development and disease, using pluripotent stem cells and mouse embryo
Ezhkova Laboratory Elucidating the molecular mechanisms that control epidermal stem cells during development and into adulthood with a specific interest in the role of chromatin regulators in these processes
Ghaffari Laboratory Investigating mechanisms that regulate blood stem and progenitor cell formation implicated in the pathophysiology of human blood disorders. We have been focused on the FOXO family of transcription factors, which are key in stress resistance and implicated in enhancing human longevity (FOXO3).
Gouon-Evans Laboratory Investigating liver development for cell therapy for liver diseases
Huang Laboratory Focusing on regulation of musculoskeletal tissue regeneration and scar formation using genetic mouse models and tissue engineering platforms
Kovacic Laboratory Exploring arteries of the heart, atherosclerosis, fibromuscular dysplasia, and other cardiovascular diseases to increase our understanding and to develop cell, stem cell, and gene-based approaches for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease
Krauss Laboratory Studying pattern formation and cell differentiation during development and regeneration, how these processes are regulated by cell adhesion and signal transduction, and how defects in them contribute to birth defects and diseases. We apply a multidisciplinary approach that includes mouse models and in vitro systems.
Lemischka Laboratory Investigating stem cell biology focusing on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model diseases, determine the mechanisms of the disease and seek ways to cure them using systems biology approaches
Marlow Lab Studying the zebrafish system, which allows us to use embryological, biochemical, and modern genetic approaches and genome-editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 to access maternally controlled processes during vertebrate animal development. We are using this powerful genetic system to unravel the mechanisms that regulate cell polarization and mRNA transport ─ fundamental processes for germ line stem cell development, fertility, and nervous system function.
Marazzi Lab Investigating epigenetic- and chromatin- mediated control of gene expression in the context of cellular response to pathogens or cellular differentiation
Mlodzik Laboratory Studying the regulation and signal outcomes of the Wnt and Notch-pathways in neuronal specification and patterning. A main focus is the regulation of planar cell polarity on these contacts during organogenesis and disease
Moore Laboratory Studying hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology both normal and programmed to determine the mechanisms of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation in homeostasis and disease. We use mouse models to study normal and stress hematopoiesis and generate HSCs from both mouse and human fibroblasts.
Rendl Laboratory Studying the function of stem cell niches. A major focus is to uncover how specialized Dermal Papilla (DP) cells act as instructive niche for hair follicle stem cells during embryonic hair follicle formation and adult hair growth and regeneration.
Sidi Laboratory Using genetic and chemical-genetic approaches in live zebrafish embryos and cultured human cancer cells to delineate novel targets for personalized cancer treatments
Sokol Laboratory Studying growth factor signaling and cell polarity in early embryos and progenitor cells. We use Xenopus early embryos to gain insights into vertebrate neural tube closure and associated molecular and physical signaling processes
Soriano Laboratory Studying how biological specificity is acquired upon engagement of PDGF and FGF signaling, focusing on multipotent neural crest cells and craniofacial biology. We also study FGF signaling in the early embryo that governs the establishment of stem cell fates.
Wang Laboratory Understanding transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic regulation of stem cell pluripotency and somatic cell reprogramming
Wassarman Laboratory Investigating the molecular basis of gamete interactions during fertilization in mammals
Zaidi Laboratory Laboratory Using mouse genetic and genomic approaches to study the mechanisms of skeletal fragility and osteoporosis, and to identify new drug targets. We also study molecular mechanisms underlying genotype-phenotype discordance in rare monogenic disorders such as Gaucher disease. A new focus is on using genomic connectivity mapping to repurpose bisphosphonates for new uses in EGFR-positive cancers.
Zwaka Laboratory Investigating ways to direct pluripotent stem cells to replace human cells affected by injury or disease. Among other things we focus on the mechanisms that maintain pluripotency and are developing an ex vivo model of the human central nervous system to study Parkinson's disease.