A recent discovery in cellular biology may allow scientists to enhance organ regeneration by stem cells, prevent the progression of cancer, and control fertility. The discovery was made in the laboratory of Joel H. Rothman, professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. It was described in a paper published in the May issue of the journal Developmental Cell, the most widely cited journal in developmental biology. In addition to Rothman, the authors of the paper are: Kenji Kontani (first author) who has moved on to the University of Tokyo, Japan, and Ivan P.G. Moskowitz (second author) now at Harvard University.
