Gordon M. Keller

Gordon Michael Keller[1]
Born November 1952
Saskatchewan, Canada
Residence Toronto, ON
Nationality Canadian/American
Fields Stem cell biology, Developmental biology
Institutions McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine
University of Toronto
University Health Network
Ontario Cancer Institute
Doctoral advisor Unknown
Doctoral students None
Known for In vitro directed differentiation of pluripotent stem cells
Early developmental pathways
Influences Rolf Kemler
Notable awards 25 Transformational Canadians
Canada Research Chair

Gordon M. Keller is a Canadian scientist recognized for his pioneering research on applying developmental biology findings to in vitro pluripotent stem cell differentiations. Keller is currently a Senior Scientist at the Ontario Cancer Institute, a Professor at the University of Toronto and the director of the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine.[2][3] Keller serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine and Stemgent, Inc., and is also a founding member and past president (2005-2006) of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.[1] In addition, Keller is a senior editor for the journal Development.[4]

Keller completed his PhD in Immunology at the University of Alberta in 1979 (graduate advisor: unknown) and completed his postdoctoral fellowship with the Ontario Cancer Institute in 1983. After this training, he began his career in Central Europe. In 1990, he moved to the United States. Initially, Keller was at the National Jewish Centre for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine in Denver, CO and later moved to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, NY. In 2007, Keller returned to Canada to assume his current role and established his laboratory at the MaRS Centre/Toronto Medical Discovery Tower.[1]

Scientific research

In 1997, Keller's team was the first to successfully isolate the developmentally significant hemangioblast—a multipotent precursor cell that can differentiate to the hematopoietic and endothelial cell fates—using embryonic stem cell technology.[5]

Currently, the Keller group's research includes the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to the endodermal lineage: hepatocytes,[6] cholangiocytes and pancreatic progenitors;[7] as well as to mesodermal cell fates: cardiomyocytes,[8] chondrocytes,[9] T lymphocytes [10] and myeloid precursors.[11]

Early life

Keller was born in 1952 in Saskatchewan and was raised on a farm.[12] He completed his Bachelors of Science at the University of Saskatchewan.[13]

Awards and honours

For his scientific achievements, Keller has received many accolades including national recognition as one of the Top 25 Transformational Canadians (2010) and a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Embryonic Stem Cell Biology (2013-2020).[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine "Lead Scientist: Gordon Keller"
  2. ↑ University Health Network "Research Profile: Gordon Keller, PhD"
  3. ↑ Princess Margaret Centre "Scientist Profile: Gordon Keller"
  4. ↑ Development: Editorial Board
  5. ↑ Choi K, Kennedy M, Kazarov A, Papadimitriou JC, Keller G. (1998). "A common precursor for hematopoietic and endothelial cells". Development 125 (4): 725–732.
  6. ↑ Han S, Dziedzic N, Gadue P, Keller GM, Gouon-Evans V. (2011). "An endothelial cell niche induces hepatic specification through dual repression of Wnt and Notch signaling". Stem Cells 29 (2): 217–228. doi:10.1002/stem.576.
  7. ↑ Nostro MC, Sarangi F, Ogawa S, Holtzinger A, Corneo B, Li X, Micallef SJ, Park IH, Basford C, Wheeler MB, Daley GQ, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG, Keller G. (2011). "Stage-specific signaling through TGFβ family members and WNT regulates patterning and pancreatic specification of human pluripotent stem cells". Development 138 (5): 861–871. doi:10.1242/dev.055236.
  8. ↑ Kattman SJ, Huber TL, Keller GM. (2006). "Multipotent flk-1+ cardiovascular progenitor cells give rise to the cardiomyocyte, endothelial, and vascular smooth muscle lineages". Developmental Cell 11 (5): 723–732. doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2006.10.002.
  9. ↑ Craft AM, Ahmed N, Rockel JS, Baht GS, Alman BA, Kandel RA, Grigoriadis AE, Keller GM. (2013). "Specification of chondrocytes and cartilage tissues from embryonic stem cells". Development 140 (12): 2597–2610. doi:10.1242/dev.087890.
  10. ↑ Kennedy M, Awong G, Sturgeon CM, Ditadi A, LaMotte-Mohs R, Zúñiga-Pflücker JC, Keller G. (2012). "T lymphocyte potential marks the emergence of definitive hematopoietic progenitors in human pluripotent stem cell differentiation cultures". Cell Reports 2 (6): 1722–1735. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2012.11.003.
  11. ↑ Sturgeon CM, Ditadi A, Awong G, Kennedy M, Keller G. (2014). "Wnt signaling controls the specification of definitive and primitive hematopoiesis from human pluripotent stem cells". Nature Biotechnology 32 (6): 554–561. doi:10.1038/nbt.2915.
  12. ↑ The Globe and Mail "Saskatchewan native Dr. Gordon Keller, a leader in regenerative medicine"
  13. ↑ University of Saskatchewan "Honorary Doctor of Science - Gordon Keller"