Stanford

Ava Carter

I began my research in stem cell biology as an undergraduate in the lab of Dr. Kevin Eggan at Harvard where I studied alternative methods for reprogramming somatic cells to pluripotency and directly to other adult states. These included using small molecules to make iPSCs as well as using transcription factors to produce induced motor neurons for studying ALS. I also investigated the role that the pluripotency-related transcription factor Nanog plays in inducing the pluripotent state during reprogramming. I am interested in continuing to study cell state conversions and their role in disease in order to create cells that are safe for patient use in regenerative medicine. I hope to do this by studying major stem cell signaling networks as well as epigenetic dynamics.