image: Jennifer E. Phillips-Cremins, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Deans’ Faculty Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, Departments of Genetics and Bioengineering, is awarded the 2022 ISSCR Dr. Susan Lim Award for Outstanding Young Investigator. The prize recognizes the exceptional achievements of an early career investigator in the field of stem cell research. view more
Credit: University of Pennsylvania
Skokie, IL—The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is honoring Jennifer E. Phillips-Cremins, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Deans’ Faculty Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, Departments of Genetics and Bioengineering, with the 2022 ISSCR Dr. Susan Lim Award for Outstanding Young Investigator.
The prize recognizes the exceptional achievements of an investigator in the early part of his or her independent career in stem cell research. Dr. Phillips-Cremins will present her work during Plenary II: Pushing the Boundaries in Stem Cell Therapy and Regeneration on 15 June starting at 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time during ISSCR 2022 San Francisco + Virtual, the world’s leading meeting of global innovators in stem cell science and regenerative medicine. The award is supported by the Dr. Susan Lim Endowment for Education and Research Ltd.
“Dr. Phillips-Cremins is a gifted researcher with diverse skills across cell, molecular, and computational biology. She is a shining star in the stem cell field who has already made landmark contributions in bringing long-range chromatin folding mechanisms to stem cell research. In addition to her skills as an outstanding researcher,” ISSCR President Melissa Little, Ph.D., said. “She has flourished as an independent investigator, providing the stem cell field with unique and creative approaches that have facilitated conceptual leaps in our understanding of long-range spatial regulation of stem cell fate. Congratulations, Jennifer, on this prestigious honor.”
“My lab and I are thrilled to hear that our work has been recognized by our colleagues", said Dr. Phillips-Cremins. "It is an honor to be listed among the incredible scientists previously awarded the Dr. Susan Lim new investigator award.”
Dr. Phillips-Cremins is a pioneer in understanding how chromatin works through long-range mechanisms to govern stem cell differentiation into neurons and neural circuits. She developed molecular and computational technologies to dissect how genomes fold at ultra-fine-scale resolution, discovering that: (i) mammalian genomes are folded hierarchically into TADs, subTADs and loops, (ii) loops/subTADs are reconfigured and functionally linked to gene expression during neural differentiation, somatic cell reprogramming, and circuit stimulation, (iii) short tandem repeat instability causes severe genome misfolding, acquisition of Megabase-scale heterochromatin domains, and pathological interchromosomal interactions. She also pioneered tools to engineer loops, catalyzing insight into the genome’s structure-function relationship.
Award-winner biographies and photos are available upon request.
About the International Society for Stem Cell Research (www.isscr.org)
With nearly 4,000 members from more than 65 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health. Additional information about stem cell science is available at A Closer Look at Stem Cells, an initiative of the Society to inform the public about stem cell research and its potential to improve human health.
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