About Nominee: Dr. Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado uses planaria as a model system to study the molecular mechanics of regeneration
Nominated by: Alys Cheatle
Reason for Nomination: We read a few of his papers in Advanced Development and I was really excited about the work. I also think he would be a very inspiring speaker for young scientists- he basically re-introduced planaria as a model system and developed the tools needed to make the model a powerful one.
Research Summary: Using planaria as a model system, the Sanchez lab studies the molecular mechanics of regeneration. So far, they have made enormous progress by uncovering the stem cells that allow a planarian to regenerate, sequencing thousands of genes, and using RNAi to study these genes which has allowed them to discover the ones that underlie regeneration.
About Nominee: Dr. Bonnie Bassler, a HHMI Investigator, hails from Princeton University and in the field of quorum sensing by bacteria.
Nominated by: Aarti Sahasranaman
Reason for Nomination: Her research is awesome and I would really like to learn more about her work.
AND
Nominated by: Shu Ying Kwan
Reason for Nomination: Dr. Bassler’s work is extremely interesting plus her enthusiasm for her work is infectious.
Research Summary: The research in the Bassler laboratory focuses on the molecular mechanisms that bacteria use for intercellular communication. The goal is to understand how bacteria detect multiple environmental cues, and how the integration and processing of this information results in the precise regulation of gene expression.
20 Oct 2010
16 Mar 2011