Dan Wagner

Dan Wagner, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. He leads the Wagner Lab which focuses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms of embryonic development, particularly the feedback mechanisms that ensure tissue pattern robustness during development. His research combines advanced genomic techniques with zebrafish model systems to investigate how cells make fate decisions during embryogenesis.

Dr. Wagner received his BS in Systems Biology from Haverford College in 2003, followed by a PhD in Biology from MIT in 2012. He completed his postdoctoral training in Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School in 2019. His educational background has provided him with a strong foundation in both biological systems and quantitative approaches to studying development.

Wagner's research focuses on the remarkable capacity of multicellular organisms to develop, maintain, and regenerate robust tissue patterns despite environmental and genetic challenges. His lab employs zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model system due to their genetic and anatomical similarity to humans, combined with experimental tractability. The Wagner Lab has developed innovative single-cell genomic methods including TRACERSEQ and STITCH to map quantitative relationships between cell lineage and cell state. Their work aims to understand how feedback regulation of cell fate decisions buffers perturbations during embryonic development, with implications for understanding developmental defects and miscarriages of unknown cause.

Analysis of Wagner's recent publications reveals a strong focus on single-cell technologies applied to developmental biology. His work spans multiple model systems including zebrafish, planarians, and mammalian systems, with particular emphasis on cell fate determination, tissue patterning, and the integration of lineage and transcriptomic information. The research demonstrates an evolving trajectory from method development to application in specific developmental contexts, with increasing computational sophistication in recent years.

• Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator (2022-2027)
• NIH Director's New Innovator Award (2021-2026)
• Searle Scholar (2021-2024)
• Science Magazine Breakthrough of the Year - 'Development Cell by Cell' (2018)
• K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (2017-2023)
• HHMI Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015-2017)

Dr. Wagner's research program is supported by significant grant funding, including the prestigious NIH Director's New Innovator Award and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator funding. His lab has made substantial contributions to the field of developmental biology through the development and application of single-cell genomic technologies. The Wagner Lab's collaborative nature is evident through numerous interdisciplinary publications spanning developmental biology, computational biology, and systems biology.

The Wagner Lab at UCSF is at the forefront of applying cutting-edge single-cell genomic technologies to fundamental questions in developmental biology. The lab maintains strong connections with other research groups at UCSF and beyond, particularly in the areas of systems biology and computational analysis of developmental processes. Their work sits at the intersection of multiple disciplines, leveraging expertise in molecular biology, imaging, and computational analysis to address complex questions about embryonic development.