Pluripotency is the remarkable capacity of a single cell to engender all the specialized cell
types of an adult organism. This property can be captured indefinitely through derivation of�…

DNA methylation is dynamically remodelled during the mammalian life cycle through distinct
phases of reprogramming and de novo methylation. These events enable the acquisition of�…

Germ cells possess the extraordinary and unique capacity to give rise to a new organism
and create an enduring link between all generations. To acquire this property, primordial�…

Mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs) undergo sequential epigenetic changes and genome-
wide DNA demethylation to reset the epigenome for totipotency. Here, we demonstrate that�…

The increased tumor incidence in telomerase null mice suggests that telomere dysfunction
induces genetic instability. To test this directly, we examined mutation rate in the absence of�…

Resetting of the epigenome in human primordial germ cells (hPGCs) is critical for
development. We show that the transcriptional program of hPGCs is distinct from that in�…

Retroviral short hairpin RNA (shRNA)–mediated genetic screens in mammalian cells are
powerful tools for discovering loss-of-function phenotypes. We describe a highly parallel�…

Mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs) erase global DNA methylation (5mC) as part of the
comprehensive epigenetic reprogramming that occurs during PGC development. 5mC plays�…

My work on the Deir'Alla inscription could not have been completed without the assistance
and encouragement of several individuals and organizations, and I would like to�…

Telomere shortening and telomerase activation both occur in human tumors. Telomere
shortening has been proposed to have two conflicting roles in tumorigenesis: tumor�…