Stem Cell & Development
Investigators in the Department of Cell Biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine who study stem cell and development examine the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern stem cell properties and turnover in normal physiology, malignant transformation, and aging. They also differentiate stem cells to develop and test new drugs, and for transplantation and regenerative medicine purposes.
Stem cells hold immense promise for disease modelling, drug development and regenerative medicine because they can self-renew, proliferate, and differentiate into multiple cell types. Such unique properties are a double-edged sword, however, because many malignancies are driven by cancer stem cells which arise when stem cells escape normal regulation, or when differentiated cells aberrantly acquire self-renewal capability.
Research Faculty
The Department of Cell Biology faculty below conduct research on stem cells and development. If you are interested in collaborating on a research project, please contact the investigators directly for more information.
Julio A. Aguirre-Ghiso, Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Cell Biology, Medicine, and Oncology; Rose C. Falkenstein Chair in Cancer Research
Specific research topics: aging, cancer dormancy and metastasis, cancer microenvironment, cell death and senescence, imaging, single cell analysis, and stem cells
Leonard H. Augenlicht, Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Cell Biology, Medicine, and Oncology
Specific research topics: aging, cancer genetics, cellular metabolism, chromatin biology/gene regulation, development, drug development and experimental therapeutics, mitochondria biology, single cell analysis, and stem cells
Eric E. Bouhassira, Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Cell Biology, Medicine, and Oncology; Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Professor of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
Specific research topics: cell-based- and gene-therapy, chromatin biology/gene regulation, DNA replication and repair, erythropoiesis, hematopoiesis, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), and stem cells
Robert A. Coleman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: cancer genetics, chromatin biology/gene regulation, DNA replication and repair, drug development and experimental therapeutics, hematopoiesis, imaging, proteomics and protein biochemistry, single cell analysis, and stem cells
Winfried Edelmann, Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Cell Biology and Genetics; The Joseph and Gertrud Buchler Chair in Transgenic Medicine
Specific research topics: cancer genetics, cancer microenvironment, DNA replication and repair, immunology, and stem cells
Kira Gritsman, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Departments of Cell Biology, Medicine, and Oncology; Co-Leader, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center
Specific research topics: cancer dormancy and metastasis, cancer microenvironment, chromatin biology/gene regulation, drug development and experimental therapeutics, erythropoiesis, hematopoiesis, immunology, proteomics and protein biochemistry, RNA processing/splicing/modification, signal transduction, and stem cells
Wenjun Guo, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: cancer dormancy and metastasis, cancer genetics, cancer microenvironment, cellular metabolism, chromatin biology/gene regulation, development, immunology, signal transduction, single cell analysis, and stem cells
Rhoda E. Hirsch, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita, Departments of Cell Biology, Medicine, and Oncology
Specific research topics: erythropoiesis, hematopoiesis, and stem cells
Keisuke Ito, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Cell Biology, Medicine, and Oncology (Medical Oncology); Director, Scientific Resources, The Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine
Specific research topics: aging, cancer dormancy and metastasis, cancer genetics, cancer microenvironment, cell-based- and gene-therapy, cellular metabolism, development, drug development and experimental therapeutics, erythropoiesis, hematopoiesis, imaging, mitochondria biology, proteomics and protein biochemistry, single cell analysis, and stem cells
Lindsay M. LaFave, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology; Rubenstein Family Early Career Professorship in Environmental Determinants and Disease
Specific research topics: cancer dormancy and metastasis, cancer genetics, cancer microenvironment, chromatin biology/gene regulation, development, imaging, single cell analysis, and stem cells
Maria Marianovich, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: aging, cancer microenvironment, cell-based- and gene-therapy, cellular metabolism, hematopoiesis, imaging, and stem cells
Satish K. Nandakumar, M.B., B.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: aging, cancer genetics, cell-based- and gene-therapy, chromatin biology/gene regulation, DNA replication and repair, hematopoiesis, signal transduction, single cell analysis, and stem cells
Alexandra C. Racanelli, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Departments of Cell Biology and Medicine
Specific research topics: aging, cancer genetics, cellular metabolism, chromatin biology/gene regulation, development, drug development and experimental therapeutics, mitochondria biology, single cell analysis, and stem cells
Rebeca San Martin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Departments of Cell Biology and Oncology
Specific research topics: aging, cancer dormancy and metastasis, cancer microenvironment, chromatin biology/gene regulation, imaging, and stem cells
Carl L. Schildkraut, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: aging, chromatin biology/gene regulation, development, DNA replication and repair, and imaging
Arthur I. Skoultchi, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology; Judith and Burton P. Resnick Chair in Cell Biology
Specific research topics: chromatin biology/gene regulation, development, erythropoiesis, hematopoiesis, RNA processing/splicing/modification, and stem cells
Pamela Stanley, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita, Department of Cell Biology
Specific research topics: cancer genetics, development, drug development and experimental therapeutics, glycobiology/glycomics, hematopoiesis, immunology, membrane trafficking, proteomics and protein biochemistry, signal transduction, and stem cells
Ulrich G. Steidl, M.D., Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Cell Biology; Professor, Departments of Medicine and Oncology; Deputy Director, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center
Specific research topics: aging, cancer genetics, cancer microenvironment, chromatin biology/gene regulation, drug development and experimental therapeutics, glycobiology/glycomics, hematopoiesis, imaging, immunology, signal transduction, single cell analysis, and stem cells
Britta Will, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Departments of Cell Biology, Medicine, and Oncology; Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Chair in Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research
Specific research topics: aging, cancer genetics, cellular metabolism, chromatin biology/gene regulation, hematopoiesis, single cell analysis, and stem cells