Shoukhrat Mitalipov Lab

Our team of research associates, postdoctoral fellows, MD/PhD students and research assistants is interested in studying some of the fundamental questions in early embryo development and stem cell biology. We use state-of-the-art technologies in molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, and embryology to understand genetic and epigenetic mechanisms governing the developmental program. The basic research conducted in the lab provides new insights into biology of totipotent and pluripotent cells and reprogramming of aged somatic cells to the totipotency and pluripotency by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and iPS approaches. Particularly, we are interested in the role of mitochondria and mitochondrial genome during development and aging and in reprogramming and re-setting the developmental program in experimentally created totipotent and pluripotent cells derived from aged somatic cells.