(Press-News.org) The ISSCR has selected five distinguished early career scientists to serve as new Early Career Editors for Stem Cell Reports, the peer-reviewed, open access, online journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR).
During their term, Early Career Editors provide strategic advice, participate in the editorial review process, and receive mentorship from current editors. They join other Early Career Editors currently working with the journal.
The new Early Career Editors are:
Harsha Devalla, Ph.D., Amsterdam University Medical Center, Netherlands
Dr. Devalla has a strong background in cell differentiation and tissue engineering with a focus on uncovering fundamental mechanisms regulating heart development and disease. Her group integrates cardiomyocyte models derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells with state-of-the-art molecular and electrophysiological assays. The current focus is investigating how heart rate and rhythm are established in order to reveal disease drivers and develop targeted therapies.
Bruno Di Stefano, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, USA
Dr. Di Stefano's current research aims to understand the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that control cell fate decisions and exploit these mechanisms to develop precision therapies for cancer and other complex diseases. His laboratory employs strategies and research tools across diverse cell types and tissues to define shared regulatory principles that sustain cell identity in different developmental contexts.
Anjali Kusumbe, Ph.D., Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Dr. Kusumbe’s lab investigates the role of vascular-stem cell interactions and stem cell aging and has made significant contributions to understanding the microenvironmental regulation of stem cells.
Ali Shariati, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, USA
Dr. Shariati leads an interdisciplinary lab that explores how we can program stem cells to build complex organized structures and perform defined functions. His group develops synthetic and quantitative tools, combining CRISPR-based genome and epigenome engineering with single-cell imaging and computational modeling. By engineering the rules that guide cell fate and self-organization, his lab is uncovering how a handful of epigenetic instructions can drive the emergence of multicellular structures. His team has successfully developed programmable CRISPR devices to precisely regulate gene expression and rewire stem cells to form reproducible embryo models, providing new experimental platforms for studying early developmental processes.
Amy Wong, MSc, Ph.D., The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto, Canada
Dr. Wong’s laboratory integrates developmental biology concepts with stem cell engineering. Dr. Wong was the first to develop a method for generating airway epithelia that model Cystic Fibrosis (CF) lung disease in vitro. Airway cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are now being used to identify targeted and personalized therapies to correct the CF defect. Her lab continues to contribute to the CF field by developing high throughput models to screen putative therapeutic compounds for each CF patient.
Learn more about all Stem Cell Reports Early Career Editors.
About Stem Cell Reports
Stem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.
About ISSCR
With nearly 5,000 members from more than 80 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to clinical applications. The ISSCR’s mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and its applications to human health.
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