I'm fortunate enough to be able to attend the annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research mentioned below. (If you want to follow the meeting's goings on via Twitter, search for hashtag #ISSCR2010.) This morning's program was especially exciting, as Stanford developmental biologist Joanna Wysocka, PhD, received the society’s Outstanding Young Investigator Award.
She was introduced by ISSCR vice president Fred Gage, PhD, a stem cell biologist from the Salk Institute, who explained:
"Joanna has brought her training in chromatin biology to stem cell biology. She has melded epigenetic studies with developmental biology studies of multiple model systems and has already changed the way many other scientists think about their work."
Wysocka responded that the award is a great honor. "It's a surprise, since we're new to this field, and it's an obligation," she said. "I hope to meet your expectations."
She went on to discuss her recent work in identifying the molecular cause of a human disorder called CHARGE. She also showed how her team has since used an analytical program created by Stanford developmental biologist and computer scientist Gill Bejerano, PhD, to identify more than 2000 sites on DNA that may affect the activity of a special type of cell called a neural crest cell.
Go Stanford!
Previously: Nomadic cells may hold key to cancer's spread and "GREAT" Stanford tool to help researchers worldwide
Photo courtesy of Steve Fisch
