2012 NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Investigator Alumnus

Dr. Egli is an Assistant Professor at Columbia University. His research focuses on the generation of therapeutically relevant cells for diabetes. His work has relevance for the use of stem cells to study disease, screen for new drugs, and cell replacement therapy. His research creating patient-specific stem cells using the DNA of patients with type 1 diabetes, first published in Nature in October 2011, was named the #1 Medical Breakthrough of 2011 by TIME magazine, which also named him one of 2011's People Who Mattered. He received a NYSCF – Druckenmiller Fellowship in 2008. During his fellowship, Dr. Egli studied the mechanisms of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), a technique to create a viable embryo from an adult body cell and a human egg cell. The technique involves transferring the DNA from the body cell into the egg cell. Dr. Egli studied the influence of the cell division cycle on the SCNT and demonstrated the importance of specific cellular regulatory factors for this process to proceed. In his independent role, he has continued this research, especially as it an apply to the treatment and cure of diabetes. He completed his postdoctoral studies at Harvard University and NYSCF with Kevin Eggan, PhD.