Amy Wagers

Amy Wagers, Ph.D., is the Forst Family Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University. She serves as Chair of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCRB), a Harvard College Professor, and holds affiliations with the Joslin Diabetes Center (Senior Investigator) and the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School.

• Harvard University, Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis (1999), Northwestern University
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Stanford University School of Medicine (1999-2004), under Dr. Irving Weissman

Dr. Wagers' research defines intrinsic and extrinsic regulators of adult blood-forming and muscle-forming stem cells, focusing on their roles in injury repair, degenerative diseases, and malignancy. Her lab pioneered in vivo gene-editing methods using adeno-associated virus (AAV) to target congenital and age-related diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy. Key findings include blood-borne mediators, cellular niches, and inflammatory/metabolic cues that coordinate stem cell functions throughout the body.

Her publications (over 150) emphasize age-associated stem cell decline and interventions to reverse age-related dysfunction. Notable articles include 2016 Science and Circulation Research studies on GDF11 and AAV-based gene editing, and a 2019 Cell Reports paper on in situ genome modification.

• Scientific Awards:
  • 2018 NIH Pioneer Award
  • Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award in Biomedical Sciences
  • Smith Family New Investigator Award
  • Keck Foundation Young Scholars Award

Dr. Wagers' lab includes current and former members such as David Anderson (gene therapy for blood disorders), Heyuan Qin (immunology and aging), and Eric Gähwiler (Masters thesis on hematopoietic stem cells). Her team explores cellular reprogramming, marker-based cell sorting, and AAV delivery systems to enhance stem cell therapies.