On May 3^rd, the School of Biological Sciences was honored to have Professor Peter J. Donovan (Developmental and Cell Biology, and Biological Chemistry) give an insightful lecture on the future of stem cells in research and as tools for drug discovery.

Professor Donovan’s research into developmental and stem cell biology has been at the forefront for over two decades. A portion of his lecture highlighted some key achievements, including his laboratories pioneering work on the development of pluripotent stem cells (stem cells that have the potential to produce ever cell type within the body) from mice, and later from humans. These discoveries would later assist Professor Donovan in uncover new insights into human development.

During his presentation, Professor Donovan would also discuss some of the work of his colleagues and collaborators at the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center. He used examples of their work to highlight the impact that stem cell research is having on our understanding of disease development, and how these discoveries may help identify superior methods of treating disease.