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Stem Cells researcher
Fiona Watt is a scientist, born in the UK in
1956.
She is internationally known for describing the
control mechanisms for the renewal of epidermal stem cells, cell differentiation and
aggregation. She is also known for her discoveries on how the mechanisms which regulate
these processes disappear in diseased cells.
Fiona knew that she wanted to be a scientist
from a very early age. She even had her own
lab coat with which she pretended to be a
scientist playing with her chemistry set.
Her main focus of interest in research is the
role of stem cells in the maintenance of adult
tissue. Some of her current projects deal with
self-regulation and selection of epidermal stem
cell lineages in mouses and humans, the role
of stem cells in oral and epidermal tumors, and
the characteristics of mesenchymal skin cells.
Fiona's laboratory also studies epidermal
tumors, their various sequences of cellular
signalling and oncogenic mutations.
From 2006 to 2012 Fiona held the position of
Deputy Director at the Cancer Research UK
Cambridge Institute and Deputy Director of the
Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research
of the University of Cambridge. In September
2012, she moved to King's College London to
take up the post of Director of the Centre for
Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine.
Fiona has received the EMBO Women in
Science Award. He is a member of the Royal
Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences and
the European Molecular Biology Organization
(EMBO).