Janet Rossant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Janet Rossant
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| Born | 13 July 1950 Chatham, Kent, England
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| Alma mater | University of Cambridge, England University of Oxford, England |
| Known for | Work in developmental biology, stem cells, and cell lineage |
| Spouse(s) | Alex Bain |
| Children | Jennifer and Robert |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society, Howard Hughes International Scholar, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | Studies on determination and differentiation in the early mammalian embryo (1975) |
Janet Rossant (born 13 July 1950) is a famous developmental biologist. This means she studies how living things grow and develop from a single cell. She is known for her work on how genes control the development of an embryo. An embryo is the very early stage of a living thing.
Dr. Rossant is a leader in her field. Her research focuses on stem cells, which are special cells that can turn into many different types of cells. She also studies how genes work at a tiny level (molecular genetics). She uses special methods to change cells and genes. This helps her learn how genes control normal and abnormal development in early mouse embryos.
Her discoveries have taught us a lot about embryo development. She found out how different types of stem cells are formed. She also learned how genes guide this development. In 1998, her work led to the discovery of the trophoblast stem cell. This discovery helped explain how problems in the heart, blood vessels, and placenta can happen before birth.
Currently, Dr. Rossant holds many important roles. She is the President and Science Director at Gairdner. She is also a senior scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Research Institute in Toronto, Canada. She teaches at the University of Toronto. She is also a senior editor for the science journal eLife. From 2012 to 2013, she was the president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
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Education and Early Career
Janet Rossant studied zoology at the University of Oxford in England. She earned her first-class honors degree in 1972. After that, she went to Darwin College, University of Cambridge. There, she earned her PhD in mammalian development in 1976. This means she studied how mammals, like humans and mice, develop from their earliest stages.
Research at SickKids Lab
Dr. Rossant's lab is located in Toronto, Canada, at the SickKids Research Institute. Her team focuses on stem cell and embryo research. They specifically study how cells in early mouse embryos decide what they will become. For example, will a cell become a heart cell or a brain cell?
The lab uses this knowledge to understand how to keep and change embryo-derived stem cells. They also research how to turn human iPS cells (induced pluripotent stem cells) into useful cell types. These new cells can then be used to study human cell biology and diseases. Her research involves using genetic manipulation, which means changing genes. They also use live imaging to watch cells, and other advanced techniques to study how cells develop.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Rossant has received many awards for her work in cell and developmental biology.
Gairdner Wightman Award
In 2015, she won the Gairdner Wightman Award. This award recognized her amazing scientific contributions to developmental biology. It also honored her leadership in stem cell research and her work in improving research programs for children's illnesses. Her discoveries have changed how we understand the human body, birth defects, and even how some cancer medicines work. Her new ways of changing mouse genes made mice a key model for understanding human genes.
Ross G. Harrison Medal
Dr. Rossant was given the Ross G. Harrison Medal in 2013. This award is given out only once every four years. It celebrates a scientist's lifetime achievements. The society praised Dr. Rossant for helping researchers understand human embryo development and where stem cells come from. They also noted her skill in creating a method to make specific changes to genes in mouse embryos.
L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award
In 2018, Dr. Rossant was one of five women to win the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award. She often talks about the important work done by female scientists. When she received the award, she said she hoped to encourage more girls around the world to choose careers in science, math, engineering, and medicine. She believes the future belongs to them.
Key Research Discoveries
Dr. Rossant's research has led to many important discoveries.
Embryonic Research
Her work on cell reprogramming has created a strong base for stem cell resources. It has given researchers new ways to understand how cells decide what they will become. Her research helped identify special markers on cell surfaces. These markers help scientists track how different types of stem cells change and develop.
Stem Cell Research
A very important part of Dr. Rossant's research was her work that led to the discovery of the trophoblast stem cell in 1998. She found a way to get permanent trophoblast stem cell lines. These cells are very important for the survival of a mammal's embryo inside the mother's body.
Dr. Rossant's work on mouse lung tissue is also very significant. She used pluripotent stem cells (cells that can become many different cell types) to create lung tissue in mice. She then looked at how these findings could help human medicine. This research helps us understand pluripotent stem cells better. It also explores how these cells could be used in the future to help repair damaged body parts (regenerative medicine). Her work also helps in understanding lung diseases and improving their treatment.
