Lab Members
David M. Harlan, MD
Principal Investigator
The William and Doris Krupp Professor of Medicine,
Co-Director, Diabetes Center of Excellence at UMass Chan Medical School,
Director, Breakthrough T1D Barbara Dewey Cammett Center of Excellence in New England
Education:
BS, Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
MD, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 1980
Residency and Fellowship, Duke University Medical Center
Dr. Harlan’s research focuses on autoimmune diabetes, human beta cell biology, transplant tolerance, and improving diabetes care delivery. For more than 40 years, his basic, clinical, and translational work has advanced understanding of diabetes biology, tested new therapies, and strengthened care systems for patients.
Sambra Redick, PhD
Senior Research Scientist
Director, Pappas Stem Cell Differentiation Core (SCDC)
Education:
PhD, Molecular Biology, Princeton University
MS, Molecular Biology, Princeton University
BS, Genetics, University of Georgia
Dr. Redick leads the Papas Stem Cell Differentiation Core (SCDC) that grows functional human stem cell-derived (SC) pancreatic islets for various collaborative research projects. Genetically engineering SC islets to become undetected by the immune system is a major focus of our Center. The goal is a curative transplantion therapy into people living with type 1 diabetes, without requiring toxic immunosuppressive therapy. Dr. Redick is also developing novel methods to study human islets & insulin-producing beta cells to understand their role in the type 1 diabetes autoimmune attack.
Mason Tarpley
Bioinformatician
Education:
MS, Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center
BS, Biology, Truman State University, Missouri
Mason analyzes the vast volume of data generated during our study of human insulin producing beta cells and the immune cells that attack human islets in people living with type 1 diabetes.
David Blodgett, PhD
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Education:
MS, Clinical Investigation, UMass Chan Medical School
PhD, Biomedical Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
BA, Chemistry & Spanish, Assumption College Worcester, MA
Dr. Blodgett is interested in gene expression differences in pancreatic alpha and beta cells due to diabetes, age, and/or stress. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at three years old.