Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Ann A. Kiessling is Associate Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School. She studied chemistry and nursing as an undergraduate and received a Ph.D. in Biochemistry/Biophysics from Oregon State University in 1971. Her postdoctoral work explored relationships between viruses and cancer in the laboratories of Paul Neiman, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Lloyd Old, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and Mehran Goulian, University of California, San Diego. The cancer cell studies revealed the need to understand undifferentiated cells, which were not cancerous, which in turn led to studies of early cleaving mouse embryos in collaboration with Harry Weitlauf at the Oregon Health Sciences University. The dual interests in virology and embryology led to research in semen transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus as well as the creation of the first laboratory for Human In Vitro Fertilization in Oregon. Research in both areas has continued since her recruitment to Harvard Medical School in 1985. She has published over one hundred scientific papers in both areas of research and is the proud mother of four children. Scott C. Anderson has been writing books and articles on cutting-edge technology for fifteen years. He has worked with Dr. Kiessling before on educational videos designed to explain the exquisite biochemistry of egg maturation and AIDS infection.