Speakers
- Bruce Ames
- Adam Arkin
- Stephen Badylak
- Laura Briggs
- Judith Campisi
- Irina Conboy
- Marisol Corral-Debrinski
- Ana Maria Cuervo
- Zheng Cui
- Rita Effros
- Claudia Gravekamp
- Kevin Healy
- Leanne Jones
- Christiaan Leeuwenburgh
- Ken Muneoka
- Bruce Rittmann
- David Schaffer
- Jerry Shay
- Matthias Stelzner
- Doris Taylor
- Tony De Tomaso
- Jan Vijg
- Amy Wagers
- Michael West
Leanne Jones
Salk Institute
Biography
Dr. Jones received her PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Harvard University. She then carried out her postdoctoral work at the Centre for Developmental Genetics at the University of Sheffield and then in the Department of Developmental Biology at Stanford University as a Lilly Fellow of the Life Science Research Foundation.
The primary focus of our research is to understand the mechanisms controlling stem cell behavior. Stem cells are the building blocks of development and provide for the maintenance and regeneration of tissues, such as blood, skin, and sperm, throughout the lifetime of an individual. The ability of stem cells to contribute to these processes depends on their ability to divide and generate both new stem cells (self-renewal) as well as specialized cell types (differentiation). The decision between self-renewal (proliferation) and differentiation must be tightly controlled. If too many cells differentiate, the stem cell population may become depleted and tissues cannot be maintained. Alternatively, unchecked self-renewal could expand the number of proliferating, partially differentiated cells in which secondary mutations may arise, leading to tumorigenesis.
Being able to study the behavior of stem cells in vivo allows us to begin to ask questions about how the environment can control stem cell self-renewal and survival. The long term goals of this basic research include understanding the mechanisms that are required for maintaining stem cell identity in an effort to develop protocols for long term maintenance of stem cells in culture. Also, a better understanding of how proteins act to direct differentiation, and the order in which they are needed, will help develop methods for leading stem cells down specific differentiation pathways in vitro. Tissue replacement therapy, also known as stem cell therapy or regenerative medicine, can be defined as a part of a group of new techniques or technologies that rely on replacing diseased or dysfunctional cells with healthy ones. In the future, these new techniques may be applied to a wide range of human disorders, including many types of cancer, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, and neurological diseases such as Parkinson's Disease. However, there are many fundamental questions that remain to be answered before the powerful potential of stem cells can be utilized in medical therapies.