Dirk Hockemeyer

Dirk Hockemeyer is the C.H. and Annie Li Chair in Molecular Biology of Diseases and a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Development and Physiology. His research focuses on telomeres, telomerase, and their roles in cancer, aging, and stem cell biology. He has developed innovative methods for genetic modification of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), enabling studies of telomerase regulation during differentiation and tumor formation.

Research Interests:

• Understanding telomere dynamics and their implications in genomic integrity
• Investigating telomerase reactivation in cancer and stem cells
• Developing gene-editing technologies for disease modeling
• Studying cellular senescence and aging mechanisms

Key Contributions:

• Pioneered robust protocols for deriving and modifying hPSCs
• Explored telomere biology in cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders using brain organoids
• Advanced CRISPR-based functional genomics approaches

Labs/Teams: Leads a lab focused on telomere biology and stem cell research, collaborating on projects like gene editing and disease modeling. His work bridges molecular biology, genetics, and translational medicine.