Under the combined umbrellas of the Institute for Regeneration Medicine and the Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center is directed by Susan L. Fisher, PhD.

The development of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has generated a great deal of excitement, hope and debate about the prospects of a new tool for both understanding human development and the generation of differentiated tissues for human transplantation therapies to treat or cure disease through tissue support, cell replacement, or regeneration. Our goal is to study hESC derivation, propagation and differentiation in the context of human development. We are dedicated to exploring the basics of human development by applying a combination of genetic, proteomic, cell biology, molecular and biochemical methods to gain answers to fundamental questions in the hESC field.