Erin Naes, Research Technician

Maintenance of human and mouse ES cell lines and resident cupcake expert.

 Chunyu (Hunter) Cai, Graduate Student
Peking University Health Science Center, Bachelor of Medicine (MD equivalent in U.S.)
Peking University Stem Cell Research Center 2001-02 - Research Assistant


I am interested in studying the role of the Hedgehog signaling pathway during mouse embryonic stem cell neurogenesis. We found that Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) is expressed exclusively by the Sox1-positive neural stem cells. During early neurogenesis, Shh supports the survival of neural stem cells and stimulates the proliferation of primitive ectoderm cells.

Kristi LaMonica, Graduate Student
B.S. Biology, Central Connecticut State University
M.A. Cell and Molecular Biology, Central Connecticut State University 

I am currently studying the role of Wnt signaling/Planar Cell Polarity Pathway in Parietal Endoderm cells derived from F9 embryoid bodies.

Noélle Ammon, Graduate Student
B.S. Biology, B.A. Chemistry Roger Williams University 2005

I am interested in studying the role of the Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway in adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Shh has been reported to be recruited to various tissues following damage.  We are studying whether the Shh pathway is activated in a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy and what effect Shh has on adult neural stem cells in this region.

Nathaniel Hartman, Graduate Student
B.A. in Biology from Clark University 2001.
Research Associate for ViaCell Inc., Worcester, MA
Research Associate for the US Military HIV Research Program, Rockville, MD

My research focuses on using neural progenitors derived from embryonic stem cells to treat temporal lobe epilepsy.  Currently, we are investigating the mechanisms that guide embryonic stem cell derived neural progenitors (ESNPs) migration and their integration into the host circuitry after transplantation.

Undergraduates

(From left: Sam Bernhardt, Remi Soltys, and Scott Ugras)

Maya Bass
Work Study