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 is a famous developmental biologist. This means she studies how living things grow and develop from a single cell into a complete organism. She was born on July 13, 1950.
Dr. Rossant is well known for her work on genes and how they control the development of an embryo. An embryo is the very early stage of a baby animal or human. She is a top expert in this 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). Dr. Rossant uses special methods to change cells and genes in early mouse embryos. This helps her understand how genes guide normal development. It also helps her learn what happens when development goes wrong.
Dr. Rossant has made important discoveries about how embryos develop. She found out how different kinds of stem cells are formed. She also learned how genes control these processes. In 1998, her work led to the discovery of trophoblast stem cells. These cells are important for the placenta, which helps a baby grow inside its mother. Her discoveries have helped explain how problems in the heart, blood vessels, and placenta can happen.
Today, Dr. Rossant holds many important positions. 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 and helps lead the Canadian Stem Cell Network. She is also a senior editor for the science journal eLife. In 2013, she was the president of a big group called the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
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Education and Learning
Janet Rossant started her higher education at the University of Oxford in England. She earned her first degree in zoology in 1972. She graduated with top honors.
After that, she continued her studies at Darwin College, University of Cambridge, also in England. She earned her PhD in mammalian development in 1976. Her PhD focused on how mammals, like mice and humans, 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 there focuses on stem cell and embryo research.
They specifically study how cells in very early mouse embryos decide what they will become. For example, how does a cell decide to become a heart cell or a brain cell? They use this knowledge to learn how to keep and change embryo-derived stem cells.
The lab also researches 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 uses advanced methods like genetic changes and live imaging. These methods help them understand how different cell types 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 Canada Gairdner Wightman Award. This award recognized her amazing scientific work in developmental biology. It also honored her leadership in stem cell research and policy-making. The award also noted her efforts in advancing research programs for children's illnesses.
Her discoveries have changed how we understand the human body and how problems can occur during development. Her new ways of changing the mouse genome made mice a key model. This helped scientists understand how human genes work.
Ross G. Harrison Prize
In 2013, Dr. Rossant received the Ross Harrison Prize from the International Society of Developmental Biologists. This award is given out only once every four years. It recognized her lifelong achievements in science. The society praised her for helping researchers understand human embryo development. They also noted her work on how stem cells begin. She also developed a method to make specific changes to genes in mouse embryos.
L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award
Dr. Rossant also speaks out about the important work of female scientists. In 2018, she was one of five women to win the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards.
When she received this award, Dr. Rossant said something important. She hoped to use this chance 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 Cell Research
Her work on cell reprogramming has created a strong base for stem cell resources. It has given scientists new ways to understand how cells decide what they will become. This research helped identify special markers on cell surfaces. These markers help scientists track how different stem cell types change. These include embryonic (ES), epiblast (EpiSC), trophoblast (TS), and extraembryonic endoderm (XEN) stem cell types.
Stem Cell Discoveries
A very important part of Dr. Rossant's research was her work that led to the discovery of the trophoblast stem cell in 1998. Her work made it possible to get permanent trophoblast stem cell lines. She used a special growth factor (FGF4) with mouse blastocysts. Blastocysts are very early embryos. These trophoblast cells are vital for a mammal's embryo to survive inside the mother.
Dr. Rossant's work on mouse lung tissue is also very significant. She focused on using pluripotent stem cells to create lung tissue in mice. Pluripotent stem cells can turn into almost any cell type. She examined how these results could help human medicine. This information has helped us understand pluripotent stem cells better. It also shows their potential for future regenerative medicine. This means using cells to repair damaged tissues. Her work also helps in discovering new things about lung diseases and improving their treatment.
