Justin Brumbaugh

Research Synopsis

The enormous scientific and therapeutic power of stem cells lies in their remarkable ability to give rise to diverse, functionally mature cells through a process called differentiation. Starting with a single fertilized egg cell, the differentiation process generates all cell types in the body without altering DNA content. Thus, a hair follicle cell from one individual contains essentially the same genetic material as a mucus-secreting intestinal cell from the same person. Together, this implies that powerful and intricate regulation exists during development to interpret the genome in different ways. In a laboratory or clinical setting, stem cells can likewise be directed to produce desired cell types for transplantation, disease modeling, and drug testing; however, we have not yet realized this potential because we do not fully understand the regulatory mechanisms that instruct differentiation. My long-term goal is to harness the power of stem cells for applications in basic biology and regenerative medicine. My short-term goals focus on defining the roles of epigenetics and RNA processing, two important regulatory mechanisms, in controlling development and tissue homeostasis. Reaching these goals will substantively expand our understanding of the factors that control cell fate and improve our ability to manipulate stem cells toward a directed and reproducible cell fate.

Publications

For a complete list of publications, please click here.

Select Awards

• International Society for Stem Cell Research Lawrence Goldstein Science Policy Fellow (2022)
• Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Award (named Boettcher Investigator; 2020)
• International Society for Stem Cell Research Next Generation of Leader (2019)