Name: Dr. Rebekah Charney

Position: Postdoctoral Fellow

Research Description:

The earliest events underlying the formation of neural crest cells.
 
Dr. Charney, joined UCR in 2016 after receiving her doctoral degree at UC Irvine, explained that neural crest cells are a stem cell population unique to vertebrates. They migrate extensively throughout the developing embryo and form numerous derivatives, including neurons, pigment cells, and most of the bone and connective tissue in the face. Their improper development leads to multiple pathologies, including very common birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft palate and aggressive cancers such as neuroblastoma. However, major questions regarding the formation of neural crest cells remain unanswered.The molecular mechanisms underlying the earliest stages of neural crest cell formation remain uncharacterized, and her research aims to address this issue.

Lab Memberships

Cho Lab (Graduate Student)

Contact Information

Address:
University of California Riverside
Riverside, CA
USA