Science elevator pitches: Watch our trainees and faculty present their research in 60 seconds
Every year, we challenge our scientists to distill their often-complex research into a compelling one-minute elevator pitch — on camera and in jargon-free, everyday language.
This exercise is a signature requirement of our Stem Cell Training Program, in which graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and clinical fellows learn to communicate their work in a way that resonates with people of all ages, backgrounds and fields. We believe in cultivating scientists who aren’t just innovators in the lab, but also effective storytellers who can convey why their research discoveries matter. And the faculty who join in? They lead by example — showing that science communication helps build public trust, promote scientific literacy and advance scientific progress.
This year’s topics range from generating muscle stem cells in a dish to restore lost muscle to using magnetic beads to uncover the origins of neurodevelopmental conditions like autism.
Watch the science elevator pitches below:
Jennifer Chia, M.D., Ph.D., a clinical fellow in the lab of Alexander Hoffmann, Ph.D.
Improving Blood Cell Production as We Age
Dr. Jennifer Chia is investigating why our bodies produce fewer blood cells as we age, making us more vulnerable to infections and blood cancers. By studying both blood stem cells and the supportive cells around them in the bone marrow, her research could lead to interventions that improve overall blood production as we age — helping people live healthier for longer.
Rachel Fox, a graduate student in the lab of Michael F. Wells, Ph.D.
Uncovering How Genetic Mutations Disrupt Early Brain Development
During human brain development, millions of cells must grow, divide and communicate in a carefully coordinated way to form different brain regions. Rachel Fox uses stem cell-based models to study how mutations in individual genes and larger regions of DNA affect this delicate coordination, impacting early brain development and leading to neurodevelopmental disorders.
Sara Frigui, a graduate student in the lab of Heather Christofk, Ph.D.
What Stem Cells Eat — And Why It Matters
Sara Frigui studies how stem cells — the foundational building blocks of our bodies — use nutrients to make critical decisions in the ongoing maintenance and repair of our adult tissue. But isolating these stem cells is like finding a needle in a haystack. To overcome this challenge, Frigui uses a novel magnet-like platform to isolate these cells and trace how they use particular nutrients. Her research yields valuable insights that could pave the way for therapies that enhance stem cell function in injury, aging and disease.
Liang-Wei Huang, a graduate student in the lab of Kathrin Plath, Ph.D.
Using Stem Cells to Study Female-Specific Diseases
Liang-Wei Huang uses stem cells to study Xist, a molecule that regulates early development of mammalian females by turning X-linked genes on or off. This molecule, however, is missing from stem cells created in the lab, making the study of female-specific diseases more difficult for researchers. He seeks to better understand Xist’s mechanisms and find ways to preserve its presence in cell-cultured female stem cells.
Vahan Martirosian, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Michael Teitell, M.D., Ph.D.
Using Magnetic Beads to Uncover the Origins of Autism
Neurodevelopmental conditions like autism may be linked to subtle changes inside cells that current research methods can't detect. Dr. Vahan Martirosian has developed a new technique using magnetic beads to isolate and study different compartments of cells, like the nucleus and mitochondria, to shed more light on the causes of these neurodevelopmental conditions.
Kilian Mazaleyrat, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of April Pyle, Ph.D.
Generating Muscle Stem Cells to Restore Lost Muscle
Dr. Kilian Mazaleyrat is helping to generate muscle stem cells in a dish by recreating the proper environment that enables them to grow and function as true muscle-building cells. This work could lead to a method to regenerate lost muscle, revolutionizing treatments for volumetric muscle loss, muscular dystrophy and severe muscle injuries.
Zeenat Rashida, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Kathrin Plath, Ph.D.
Studying Cellular “Glue" to Improve Stem Cell Therapies
Dr. Zeenat Rashida studies how nutrients like vitamin C regulate the extracellular matrix, the glue that holds cells together, to support stem cell function. By understanding how nutrients control this glue, scientists can improve stem cell therapies and treatments for diseases like cancer and diabetes, in which the glue isn’t intact.
Shile (Shirley) Zhang, a graduate student in the lab of Andrew S. Goldstein, Ph.D.
How Ancestry Shapes Prostate Cancer Risk
Approximately one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, making it one of the most prevalent cancers. Despite its ubiquity, not all cases are the same. Shile (Shirley) Zhang studies how ancestry-specific mutations play a crucial role in determining prostate cancer risk. Her efforts could ultimately pave the way for personalized treatments and more equitable and effective approaches to caring for patients with this disease.
Yvonne Chen, Ph.D., professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics
Engineering "Smarter and Stronger" CAR-T Cells to Better Fight Cancer
Dr. Yvonne Chen is engineering better CAR-T cells with reduced toxicity to improve the safety and efficacy for cancer immunotherapy. In a clinical trial she co-led of a groundbreaking CAR-T cell immunotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma, 10 of 11 patients responded to treatment and eight entered remission. Now, her team is working on engineering smarter CAR-T cells to target difficult-to-treat solid tumors like glioblastoma, the most aggressive and common type of brain cancer.
Melody Li, Ph.D., assistant professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics
Investigating How Mosquitoes Spread Deadly Viruses
Dr. Melody Li studies the deadliest animal in the world: mosquitoes. As climate change and globalization contribute to the spread of mosquitoes, the risk of new viral outbreaks also increases. Her efforts to better understand how mosquito-borne viruses invade the body, as well how the body’s immune system fights back, could lead to new antiviral therapies that better protect against dangerous, life-threatening diseases like malaria and Zika virus.
William Lowry, Ph.D., professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology
Developing New Drugs to Treat Hair Loss
Dr. William Lowry studies the unique metabolic preferences of hair follicle stem cells to uncover mechanisms that control whether hair grows or stagnates. Though his observation of these mechanisms first began in mouse models, he is now adapting these insights to develop novel therapies that can reverse hair loss in humans.
Hanna Mikkola, M.D., Ph.D., professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology
Seeking a Cure for Leukemia
Dr. Hanna Mikkola has a bold mission: to cure leukemia. For the past 20 years, she has studied human blood stem cells to uncover the mechanisms that lead to this devastating disease. She is particularly interested in investigating why children with Down syndrome face a higher risk of developing leukemia. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies to trace the origins of these conditions, Mikkola aims to develop precise, targeted therapies that could transform treatment for this vulnerable patient population.
Claudio Villanueva, Ph.D., associate professor of integrative biology and physiology
Studying Fat Stem Cells to Treat Obesity-Linked Diseases
Dr. Claudio Villanueva studies fat tissue function to uncover how enlarged stem cells in the fat tissue can differentiate to produce new, better and smaller fat cells, improving glucose metabolism. This work could lead to new treatment strategies for obesity-linked diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
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