Heilbrunn Center for Stem Cell Research at the Rockefeller University
Basic research in stem cell biology
In August 2004 the Rockefeller University announced the formation of the Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Center for Stem Cell Research. It was funded by a $5 million endowment, which was donated by Harriet Heilbrunn. The basic research in stem cell biology should help to develop therapies for diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, skin diseases (basal and squamous cell carcinoma), and vision disorders (macular degeneration).
Paul Nurse, PhD, President
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Six laboratories at the university are now involved in basic research involving embryonic, neuronal and skin stem cells derived from mice, laboratory cultures of human adult skin stem cells, and human embryonic stem cells.
The Laboratory of Molecular Vertebrate Embryology led by Dr. Ali Brivanlou uses both amphibian and mammalian model systems including embryonic stem cells to understand the cellular and molecular basis of vertebrate embryonic induction. Dr. Brivanlou and his colleagues have discovered a compound that could maintain the pluripotency of lab cultures of human ES cells.
Dr. Elaine Fuchs of the Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development studies the cell biology, genetics and development of skin and hair. Dr. Peter Mombaerts leads the Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Neurogenetics, which is focused to understand the origin and development of the cells of the brain that enable the sense of smell.
The Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology headed by Dr. Emil Gotschlich investigates among other things the possibility of reprogramming adult cells to make them more like ES cells.
Dr. Thomas P. Sakmar of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry studies signal transduction and could lead to the understanding how stem cells maintain an undifferentiated, self-renewing and pluripotent state.
Dr. Markus Stoffel, head of the Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, investigates ES cells that can differentiate into insulin-expressing cells in order to heal type I diabetes.