Douglas Melton
Encyclopedia
Douglas A. Melton is the Xander University Professor
at Harvard University
, and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
. Additionally, Dr. Melton serves as the co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and the co-chair of the Harvard University Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology.
Dr. Melton serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Genetics Policy Institute
, holds membership in the National Academy of the Sciences, and is a founding member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
Melton's early work in the 1980s pioneered the technique of in vitro transcription. This later shifted to general developmental biology research in Xenopus, and eventually in the mid-1990s, became centered on the development of the pancreas
.
His current research interests include pancreatic developmental biology and the directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cell
s, particularly in pertinence to type 1 diabetes, which afflicts both his children.
In 2001 when President George W. Bush
cut federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, Melton used private donations to create 17 published stem cell line
s and distribute them without charge to researchers around the world.
In 2007 and 2009, Melton was listed among Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World.
In August 2008, Melton's lab published successful in vivo
reprogramming
of adult mice exocrine pancreatic
cells into insulin secreting cells which closely resembled endogenous islet beta cells of pancreas in terms of their size, shape, ultrastructure and essential marker genes. Unlike producing beta cells from conventional embryonic stem cells or recently developed induced pluripotent stem cell
(iPS) technique, Melton's unique method involved direct cell reprogramming
of adult cell type (exocrine cell) into other adult cell type (beta cell) without reversion to a pluripotent stem cell state. His team used a specific combination of three transcription factors, Ngn3 (or Neurog3), Pdx1 and Mafa for such direct cell reprogramming to yield cells capable of secreting insulin and remodelling local vasculature in pancreas to counteract hyperglycemia
and diabetes.
Harvard University Professor
At Harvard University, the title of University Professor is an honor bestowed upon a very small number of its tenured faculty members whose scholarship and other professional work have attained particular distinction and influence. This honor was created in 1935 by Harvard's President and Fellows...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute is a United States non-profit medical research organization based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It was founded by the American businessman Howard Hughes in 1953. It is one of the largest private funding organizations for biological and medical research in the United...
. Additionally, Dr. Melton serves as the co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and the co-chair of the Harvard University Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology.
Dr. Melton serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Genetics Policy Institute
Genetics Policy Institute
The Genetics Policy Institute is a 501 nonprofit organization that educates the public and promotes supportive public policy for stem cell research and other forms of cutting-edge medicine....
, holds membership in the National Academy of the Sciences, and is a founding member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
Melton's early work in the 1980s pioneered the technique of in vitro transcription. This later shifted to general developmental biology research in Xenopus, and eventually in the mid-1990s, became centered on the development of the pancreas
Pancreas
The pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as well as a digestive organ, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that assist...
.
His current research interests include pancreatic developmental biology and the directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, an early-stage embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist of 50–150 cells...
s, particularly in pertinence to type 1 diabetes, which afflicts both his children.
In 2001 when President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
cut federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, Melton used private donations to create 17 published stem cell line
Stem cell line
A stem cell line is a family of constantly dividing cells, the product of a single group of stem cells. They are obtained from human or animal tissues and can replicate for long periods of time in vitro...
s and distribute them without charge to researchers around the world.
In 2007 and 2009, Melton was listed among Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World.
In August 2008, Melton's lab published successful in vivo
In vivo
In vivo is experimentation using a whole, living organism as opposed to a partial or dead organism, or an in vitro controlled environment. Animal testing and clinical trials are two forms of in vivo research...
reprogramming
Reprogramming
Reprogramming refers to erasure and remodeling of epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation, during mammalian development. After fertilization some cells of the newly formed embryo migrate to the germinal ridge and will eventually become the germ cells...
of adult mice exocrine pancreatic
Exocrine pancreas
The exocrine pancreas has ducts that are arranged in clusters called acini . Pancreatic secretions are secreted into the lumen of the acinus, and then accumulate in intralobular ducts that drain to the main pancreatic duct, which drains directly into the duodenum.Control of the exocrine function of...
cells into insulin secreting cells which closely resembled endogenous islet beta cells of pancreas in terms of their size, shape, ultrastructure and essential marker genes. Unlike producing beta cells from conventional embryonic stem cells or recently developed induced pluripotent stem cell
Induced pluripotent stem cell
Induced pluripotent stem cells, commonly abbreviated as iPS cells or iPSCs are a type of pluripotent stem cell artificially derived from a non-pluripotent cell, typically an adult somatic cell, by inducing a "forced" expression of specific genes....
(iPS) technique, Melton's unique method involved direct cell reprogramming
Transdifferentiation
Transdifferentiation in biology takes place when a non-stem cell transforms into a different type of cell, or when an already differentiated stem cell creates cells outside its already established differentiation path...
of adult cell type (exocrine cell) into other adult cell type (beta cell) without reversion to a pluripotent stem cell state. His team used a specific combination of three transcription factors, Ngn3 (or Neurog3), Pdx1 and Mafa for such direct cell reprogramming to yield cells capable of secreting insulin and remodelling local vasculature in pancreas to counteract hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia or Hyperglycæmia, or high blood sugar, is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. This is generally a glucose level higher than 13.5mmol/l , but symptoms may not start to become noticeable until even higher values such as 15-20 mmol/l...
and diabetes.
Sources
- Douglas Melton - the Time 100Time 100Time 100 is an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, as assembled by Time. First published in 1999 as a result of a debate among several academics, the list has become an annual event.-History and format:...