To celebrate the 9th International Day of Women and Girls in Science we are spotlighting Principal Investigator Dr Antonella Fidanza. Image Antonella Fidanza joined the Centre for Regenerative Medicine in 2014 as a postdoc in Lesley Forrester’s research group, studying Haematopoietic differentiation. In July 2023, we welcomed Dr Fidanza as a lecturer for the School of Biomedical Sciences and a Principal Investigator researching in vitro human hematopoiesis. Her research group studies human developmental hematopoiesis in vitro using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). By understanding the mechanisms driving blood stem and progenitor cells development during embryonic life, the aim is to improve the quality and the types of cells that can be produced in the laboratory for cell therapy. I am delighted to join the Centre for Regenerative Medicine as a Lecturer in Biomedical Science. CRM is such a unique environment that brings together various research topics spanning from basic stem cell biology to cell therapy development. Since I was a young girl, I always dreamt of being a scientist, and I was fortunate enough to learn from and be inspired to follow my dream by many great scientists. Now, it is my time to train and inspire the new generation of scientists, and this fills me with joy. Here in CRM, my laboratory will benefit from the uniquely supportive and collaborative spirit of the Centre, and I am beyond excited to learn and grow here with my team in the upcoming years. Dr Antonella Fidanza On the 4th December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly declared 11th February the annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science with a sponsorship of more than 65 countries. On its 9th anniversary the assembly met at the United Nations headquarters with a focus on “Women in Science Leadership: a New Era for Sustainability”. My research aims to impact the current strategy for treating blood disorders by providing new strategies to derive blood and immune cells in the laboratory for therapy. We study the processes that drive the formation of these cells within embryonic life, and this will inform us on how to mimic the same process in the lab to derive these precious cells needed for the patient. CRM is the ideal place where our basic research can impact on developing better protocols for cell therapy. Dr Antonella Fidanza If you would like to find out more about Dr Fidanza’s fantastic work, visit her research and profile pages. Antonella Fidanza Profile Page Antonella Fidanza Research Group To learn more about the International Day of Women and Girls in Science visit their website. Women in Science Day website This article was published on 2024-02-26
