The Point of No Return: Predicting and Controlling Cell Fate Decisions
James Valcourt, PhD '20 shares his research insights at Harvard Horizons
James Valcourt, PhD '20
The adult body is made up of trillions of cells, and each type of cell is specially equipped for its role. “This diversity of cell types is produced during early development from a single progenitor,” says James Valcourt, PhD '20, Systems Biology. “This one cell type makes a series of choices to become a certain type of cell, such as a skin cell, muscle cell, or neuron.”
“Imagine that a ball rolling down a hill that has two different valleys, where each valley represents a certain lineage of cell type. If it rolls into the first valley, it’s harder for it to change its mind and cross over to the other one, to an alternative fate,” says Valcourt. “I study that point of no return.”