Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology

The Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai explores the development, patterning, and regeneration of cells and organs. To achieve this, we use a multitude of model organisms including Drosophila, zebrafish, Xenopus, and mouse.

The study of biological mechanisms, through a broad and multi-tiered approach, reveals with exquisite clarity the unifying principles of biological development, structure, and function. This provides important links to medical disorders and therapeutic potential. Our research focuses on development signaling pathways, cell death, organogenesis, fertilization, stem cells, and cancer models. Several of our labs are using model organisms and cell culture assays in genomic and drug screens.

The juxtaposition between our developmental and stem cell laboratories creates a unique collaborative environment. Studies on developmental mechanisms help to guide research on stem cells, and, conversely, research on stem cells has provided mechanistic clues on developmental processes. Collaborations between laboratories using different model organisms and systems are common, and postdoctoral fellows and graduate students are an integral part of this process.

The department fosters collaborations with faculty in other basic science departments as well as with clinical scientists through joint projects, seminars, interdisciplinary programs, and training grants. Our faculty members are closely associated with the Black Family Stem Cell Institute, The Tisch Cancer Institute,The Friedman Brain Institute and The Center for Molecular Cardiology.

We also maintain several core facilities, which allow for model organisms and high-content, cell-based screening in basic, translational, and clinical research.