Dr. Yonatan Stelzer is an expert in the emerging field of epigenetics, which allows interruption of genetic code in many different ways, determining what cells will become. By decoding epigenetics in a normal developmental context, he is hoping to learn how these key processes can go awry, leading to diseases and cancer. Dr. Yonatan Stelzer has always been intrigued by the possibility of using embryonic stem cells to study human genetics and disease. He is an expert in the emerging field of epigenetics. Although every cell in the body contains the exact same DNA, epigenetics allows interruption of the genetic code in many different ways, determining which cells become muscle cells, and others nerve or skin cells. Dr. Stelzer’s research tackles open fundamental questions in the forefront of research concerning the roles of epigenetics in determining and maintaining cell identity. By decoding epigenetics in a normal developmental context, he is hoping to learn how these key processes can go awry, leading to diseases and cancer. He earned his BSc, MSc and PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 2014 he became a postdoctoral fellow at MIT, working in the laboratory of stem cell pioneer Prof. Rudolf Jaenisch. In 2017, he joined the Weizmann Institute’s Department of Molecular Cell Biology.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
