Developmental & Stem Cell Biology

BMS is home to numerous faculty members with research programs focused on fundamental questions in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology. In addition to the focus area within BMS, a distinct Graduate Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology exists for those applicants who are committed to those topics. This program has a more focused curriculum including coursework, seminars, and journal clubs specific to Developmental and Stem Cell Biology. The BMS program maintains a more interdisciplinary curriculum, integrating multiple distinct focus areas with an overarching emphasis on biomedically relevant questions.


Most Developmental and Stem Cell Biology faculty members have appointments in both programs. Key topics of investigation among the faculty include cellular specification and differentiation, organogenesis, tissue morphogenesis and regeneration, and cell-cell signaling during development. A variety of model systems are used to pursue relevant topics in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, including worms, flies, fish, chickens, mice, and human-derived tissues and cells.

 

Participating Faculty

Bjoern Schwer, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Research Summary: 
Genomic instability and DNA repair in neural cells
Mentorship Development: 

4/11/19    Acknowleding and Negotiating the Mentee-Mentor Tensions Inherent in the Research Lab (Mission Bay)
12/19/19    ACRA: Setting Training Expectations for Trainees on the Academic Career Track (1.5 hours)
3/10/20    Promoting Student Mental Health:A Presentation and Discussion (Staff and Faculty)
4/30/20    Mental Health in a Pandemic: Q&A for Faculty
10/20/20    Gathering in Community: a Training for Faculty and Staff

Licia Selleri, PhD, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
Genetic and regulatory control of morphogenesis in embryonic development, evolution, and disease
Mentorship Development: 

5/2021 Sharpening Your Mentoring Skills
6/2021 Promoting Learner Mental Health
10/2021 Sharpening Your Mentoring Skills

Yin Shen, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Research Summary: 
Functional genomics, gene regulation, 3D chromatin architecture, and human diseases
Mentorship Development: 

5/26/20    Effective Strategies for IDPs for Partial Resumption of Lab Research    
9/11/20    Mentoring Across Differences
5/25/21  Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS) 

Joseph Shieh, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Research Summary: 
Genomic Determinants in Human Developmental Disorders

Seth Shipman, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Research Summary: 
Engineering Molecular Technologies for Human Disease

Param Priya Singh, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Tissue / Organ Biology & Endocrinology
Research Summary: 
Gene regulation during vertebrate diapause, aging and disease.

Julie Sneddon, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Tissue / Organ Biology & Endocrinology
Research Summary: 
Pancreas development, disease, and regeneration
Mentorship Development: 

12/19/19    ACRA: Setting Training Expectations for Trainees on the Academic Career Track (1.5 hours)
3/3/20    Promoting Student Mental Health:A Presentation and Discussion (Staff and Faculty)
3/3/20    Promoting Student Mental Health: Faculty Workshop (Faculty only)
6/10/20    Tools and Tips for Virtual Learning
11/10/20    Optimizing the Efficiency of Your Lab
5/25/21  Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS) 

Deepak Srivastava, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
Molecular and Genetic Dissection of Cardiogenesis and its role in human disease
Mentorship Development: 

11/23/20   Building Community in the UCSF MSTP

Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, MD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Research Summary: 
Functional genomic and genetic analysis of therapy resistance, tumor heterogeneity and oncogenic mechanisms in cancer.
Mentorship Development: 

12/12/19  ACRA: Setting training expectations for trainees on the academic career track.
5/25/21  Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS) 

Christina Theodoris, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
Our lab leverages cutting-edge machine learning and experimental genomics to map the gene regulatory networks disrupted in cardiovascular disease and discover network-correcting therapeutics.

Erik Ullian, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Neurobiology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Research Summary: 
My laboratory is interested in the interactions between neurons and glia that are required for the proper development and function of the nervous system.

Vasanth Vedantham, MD, PhD

Primary Thematic Area: 
Vascular & Cardiac Biology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Developmental & Stem Cell Biology
Research Summary: 
Integrative Biology of Heart Rhythm and Mechanisms of Arrhythmias: Development, Physiology, Genetics, Disease, and Regeneration.

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