Ayelet Voskoboynik
Academic Appointments
- Instructor, Pathology - Stem Cell Institute
Key Documents
Contact Information
- Academic Offices
Personal Information Email Tel (831) 655-6206 Tel (831) 419-3513
Professional Overview
Professional Education
| Postdoctoral Fellow: | Stanford University, Stanford, California, Stem Cell Biology (2007) |
| Ph.D: | Technion, Israel institute of technology, Haifa, Cell Biology (2001) |
| M.Sc: | Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Zoology (1995) |
| B.Sc: | The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, Animal science (1991) |
Scientific Focus
Current Research Interests
We study several stem cell interrelated phenomena using the protochordate, Botryllus schlosseri. The adult stem cells of Botryllus schlosseri mediate formation of all body organs de-novo every week. This includes formation of heart, nervous system, respiration system, digestive system, thyroid like gland, ovary and testis. Under certain conditions, B. schlosseri can even regenerate its body from the vasculature alone. This species which has a chordate larval stage and an invertebrate adult form, is the closest living relative to Homo sapiens that maintains this unique regeneration capacities throughout life. In addition to their extensive regeneration capacities, in Botryllus chimeras the adult circulating stem cells of one partner can compete and replace the germ line and/or the soma of the other partner (termed germ line or somatic stem cell parasitism). This ability to replace host tissues follows genetic (heritable) hierarchies of winner strain that replace loser strain tissues.
We use genetic, genomic, and cell biological approaches to investigate: The evolutionary molecular mechanisms that regulate the decline of tissue regenerative potential during aging and allogeneic stem cell competition in host.
The lab is located at Stanfords Hopkins Marine Station on the Monterey Peninsula.
Publications
- Repeated, long-term cycling of putative stem cells between niches in a basal chordate. Dev Cell. 2013; (1): 76-88
- Chimerism a natural ability to tolerate kin, evolutionary traits connecting mammalian and protochordates. ISJ. 2009; (1): S9-S20
- A conserved role of the VEGF pathway in angiogenesis of an ectodermally-derived vasculature. Dev Biol. 2008; (1): 243-55
- Identification of the endostyle as a stem cell niche in a colonial chordate. Cell Stem Cell. 2008; (4): 456-64
- BS-cadherin in the colonial urochordate Botryllus schlosseri: one protein, many functions. Dev Biol. 2007; (2): 687-700
- Striving for normality: whole body regeneration through a series of abnormal generations. FASEB J. 2007; (7): 1335-44
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