Dr. Helen Blau is the Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Professor and Director of the Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology at Stanford University. Dr. Blau’s research focuses on the basic molecular mechanisms of stem cells and muscle and their application to aging, regenerative medicine, and disease. Her lab aims to understand and apply biology to improve quality of life, and their current primary focus is on understanding the gerozyme 15-PGDH. She talks about the roles of NSAIDs and CD47 in muscle regeneration. She also discusses growing cultured meat and writing a children’s book!

The First Vertebrate Heartbeats – Using all-optical electrophysiology, researchers captured the very first heartbeat of a zebrafish.

Axolotl Limb Regeneration – Senescent cells comprise a pro-regenerative niche during axolotl limb regrowth.

Type 2 Diabetes-Associated Genes – Scientists engineered isogenic knockout human embryonic stem cell lines for 20 genes associated with type 2 diabetes risk.

Skull-Brain Communication in Craniosynostosis – Impaired meningeal lymphatics and brain perfusion drive neurocognitive defects in an animal model of craniosynostosis.

Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Helen Blau

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