Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz

Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
Professor of Mammalian Development and Stem Cell Biology
University of Cambridge, UK

I study the early development of the mammalian embryo, both mouse and human, at pre-, peri- and early post-implantation stages. My current aim is to understand the critical cell fate determining processes by which cells transit from totipotency through different states of pluripotency towards the differentiated state in order to build the future body and how these processes are coordinated.
EDUCATION
1982-1988 University of Warsaw, Faculty of Biology, Warsaw, Poland
Graduated First Class (summa cum laude)
Master of Science, Developmental Biology

1989-1993 University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Department of Embryology, Supervisor Prof. Andrzej Tarkowski
PhD, Developmental Biology of Mammals

1990-1991 University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Department of Zoology, Supervisor Prof. Chris Graham
PhD SOROS Foundation Fellowship

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
2010 – present Professor of Mammalian Development and Stem Cell Biology
Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience
University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

2002 – present Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow
The Gurdon Institute and Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge

2007-2010 Reader in Developmental Biology, tenure awarded at the University of Cambridge
Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience
University of Cambridge

1997-2003 Senior Research Fellow
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge

1997-2002 Lister Institute Senior Research Fellow
The Gurdon Institute and Department of Genetics
University of Cambridge
1995-1997 EMBO Fellow
University of Cambridge, Supervisor Prof. Martin Evans
Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Institute

TEACHING AND MENTORSHIP
My teaching is focused on developmental biology, to undergraduates, medical students and graduate students. I regard this as an opportunity to inspire students to have an interest in developmental biology with the hope that this will entice them to take their interests beyond this. One of the advanced courses I organise is focused upon the research topic of my group to understand the development of pluripotent cells within the embryo and their first differentiation steps. I am also the instructor of a medical student lab class on human reproduction. In addition to formal lecture classes, I give supervisions on courses associated with graduate programmes in which we bring students coming from different backgrounds to a similar knowledge base.