Undergraduate Lynette Lester received the USC Discovery Scholar distinction in recognition of her research accomplishments in the Mariani Lab. The Discovery Scholar distinction honors students who excel in the classroom while demonstrating the ability to create exceptional new scholarship or artistic works. Following graduation, Lynette will start medical school at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Read More…

In recognition of his research accomplishments in the Mariani Lab, undergraduate Jason Hsieh has won a USC Discovery Scholar prize. The Discovery Scholar distinction honors students who excel in the classroom while demonstrating the ability to create exceptional new scholarship or artistic works. This year, Jason is one of only 10 graduating seniors to receive Read More…

As chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, Jay R. Lieberman regularly sees patients with bone defects too severe to heal. This unmet clinical need inspired him to team up with two stem cell biologists, Gage Crump and Francesca Mariani, to find new solutions. To read more, Read More…

Francesca Mariani: In a recent study in the journal Cell, Kyle Loh and colleagues in Irving Weissman’s group established a rapid protocol for converting human pluripotent stem cells into mesoderm—the progenitors for heart, skeleton, muscles and a variety of other critical tissue types in our bodies. The strategy effectively recapitulates signaling events at play in Read More…

A gene called Prkci can point cells in the right direction, according to a new study in Developmental Biology. In the study, USC Stem Cell researcher In Kyoung Mah from the laboratory of Francesca Mariani and colleagues demonstrated Prkci’s role in organizing cells into balls and tubes during early embryo and organ formation. To read Read More…

Scientists have long believed that the processes required for embryonic development are recapitulated during the regeneration of damaged body parts, such as fractured bones. In a new study published in Development, USC Stem Cell researchers Sandeep Paul, Simone Schindler and colleagues use the regeneration of the zebrafish jawbone to show that this is not necessarily Read More…

Congratulations to CIRM Star student Divya Patel, who won first prize at the science fair at Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School for research conducted in the Mariani lab. For her project, she identified the developmental stage at which the most cells test positive for Sox9. This information will help determine the importance of Sox9 Read More…

When it comes to stem cells, too much of a good thing isn’t wonderful: producing too many new stem cells may lead to cancer; producing too few inhibits the repair and maintenance of the body. In a paper published in Stem Cell Reports, USC researcher In Kyoung Mah from the lab of Francesca Mariani and Read More…

The lab is pleased to introduce our new website.

In a new study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, a team directed by USC Stem Cell researcher Francesca Mariani takes a closer look at rib regeneration in both humans and mice. To read more, visit stemcell.usc.edu/2014/09/12/usc-researchers-discover-the-healing-power-of-rib-tickling.