The Doble lab studies the signaling networks within stem cells that control their amazing properties. We are especially interested in key developmental signaling pathways essential for stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Malfunctions in these pathways underlie many human diseases including numerous cancers and developmental disorders.
Our primary model systems employ mouse embryonic stem cells that we manipulate using methods described in the sections below. We are also studying cellular models of the Wnt subgroup of a type of childhood brain cancer called medulloblastoma.
We use a variety of techniques to assess the ability of pluripotent stem cells to differentiate and self-renew. One striking example is the formation of embryoid bodies, which spontaneously generate cardiomyocytes that you can observe contracting in the video.