Jackson Laboratory

The Pera Lab

Principal Investigator: Martin Pera, Ph.D.

The Jackson Laboratory
Bar Harbor, ME

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Human pluripotent stem cells and the human embryo: Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) have opened up a previously inaccessible phase of the human life cycle to experimental study.

Our laboratory has two main areas of research. We use human pluripotent stem cells to study extrinsic factors that regulate self-renewal, pluripotency and lineage specification during early human development. We also carry out functional genomic analyses in human and mouse pluripotent stem cells to identify genetic factors that influence regeneration and repair in the central nervous system. We are very pleased to be collaborating with the Nishina laboratory on a study of the genetics of macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness in the aging population.

Full Scientific Report

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is looking to fill a contract position for an Editorial Assistant for Stem Cell Reports, the official journal of the ISSCR. This position will provide administrative assistance to the Editor in Chief Professor Martin Pera and work closely with the Managing Editor.

See full job posting here

Announcements

July 04, 2017

New Pera Lab Staff

View all research positions

Open Positions

Job	Job Title	Location	Description

Lab Staff

Nurten Akturk

Research Assistant II
Kevin Hayes

Postbaccalaureate Intern

I work with human Embryonic Stem Cells as a model for understanding the molecular basis of self-renewal and differentiation in early, pluripotent embryos.
Queen Igomu

Research Intern

The extrinsic regulation of self-renewal and pluripotency of human pluripotent stem cells.
Tracy McGarr, M.S.

Research Assistant III

My primary research interest is in stem cell research.
Kelli Meattey

Research Administrative Assistant

Providing administrative support to Research Faculty and their staff.
Martin Pera, Ph.D.

Professor

The extrinsic regulation of self-renewal and lineage specification of human pluripotent stem cells. The genetic basis for individual variation in the response of the central nervous system to injury.
Daniel Cortes-Perez, M.D., Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Associate

Stem cell biology and neural differentiation to study neurological diseases and aging using genetic approaches. Axonal repair, neurotrophic factors and DYRK1a are also of interest
Chien-Yu Tung

Research Assistant III

My primary research interests are in stem cell research, immunology, and antibodies.

Selected Publications

Highlighted Abstract

Pluripotent stem cells may acquire genetic and epigenetic variants during culture following their derivation. At a conference organized by the International Stem Cell Initiative, and held at The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, October 2016, participants discussed how the appearance of such variants can be monitored and minimized and, crucially, how their significance for the safety of therapeutic applications of these cells can be assessed. A strong recommendation from the meeting was that an international advisory group should be set up to review the genetic and epigenetic changes observed in human pluripotent stem cell lines and establish a framework for evaluating the risks that they may pose for clinical use.

View full list of publications

Search MagazineJune 09, 2020
Stroke researcher Cortes-Perez earns JAX Scholar Award
Dan Cortes-Perez, Ph.D., a postdoctoral associate studying neurological disorders at The Jackson Laboratory, has been awarded a JAX Scholar Award.
Blog PostApril 21, 2020
CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem Cell Humanized Mice: The Basics
Humanized mouse models serve as an innovative and cost-effective platform to simulate trials, evaluate multiple drugs alone or in combination, and produce predictive data. But, there are a number of questions that frequently arise with this model. Here are some of the more frequent questions and answers to using CD34+ hematopoietic stem cell humanized mice.
Search MagazineAugust 09, 2019
Unlocking the power of stem cells
Professor Martin Pera, Ph.D. combines his extraordinary expertise in human stem cell biology with powerful JAX resources in order to bring about breakthroughs in reproductive therapies and regenerative medicine.
Search MagazineJanuary 03, 2017
What is a mouse model?
The closer we are to accurately modeling genetic diseases in the mouse, the closer we are to discovering cures in the clinic.

Research HighlightMay 15, 2020
Improving stem cell cultures with ESR
Human pluripotent stem cells have enormous potential as research tools and as a platform for creating new therapies for intractable medical conditions.
Search MagazineOctober 11, 2019
Sherlock Holmes of the inner ear
JAX scientist Vidhya Munnamalai investigates the complex puzzle of cochlear development in an effort to cure hearing loss.
Research HighlightJanuary 04, 2018
The state of the science in culturing totipotent stem cells
A review in the journal Cell Stem Cells by two JAX scientists reports on the latest efforts to isolate and culture the elusive populations of stem cells that most closely resemble very early (two-cell stage) totipotent cells.
Research HighlightDecember 13, 2016
The aging immune system and loss of adaptive immune response
Using mice spanning a spectrum of ages, a Jackson Laboratory research team led by Assistant Professor Jennifer Trowbridge, Ph.D., investigated changes in the maturation process of hematopoietic stem cells over time.
- Aging
- Stem cells
- Immunology
- Aging