Francesca Mariani

Francesca Mariani, PhD is an Associate Professor of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. She serves as Director for the Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Master's Program, Course Director of Stem Cell Biology Regenerative Medicine, and Well-being Director for the department. Additionally, she co-directs the USC CIRM COMPASS Scholars Program, which prepares undergraduate students for careers in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.

Dr. Mariani's research focuses on the development and repair of the mammalian skeleton, with particular emphasis on ribs and handplate. Her laboratory employs standard and conditional knock-out techniques in mouse models and mouse embryonic stem cells to investigate skeletal regeneration. Her work has revealed important insights into how stem cells contribute to bone healing, pathological bone spur formation in arthritis, and age-related decline in regenerative capacity. Her research has shown that the same stem cells that heal broken bones can also generate arthritic bone spurs, and that age significantly impacts the body's ability to repair large-scale bone injuries.

Dr. Mariani has received significant recognition for her teaching excellence, including USC's highest honor for outstanding teaching - the 2023 Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching - and the 2021 teaching award for the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine. She is known for fostering an inclusive learning environment and mentoring students from high school to postdoctoral levels.

As an educator, Dr. Mariani serves as faculty director of USC's first-of-its-kind master's program in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. She teaches courses for master's, PhD, and MD students at the Keck School of Medicine and is known for incorporating active learning techniques into her teaching. Her philosophy emphasizes allowing students to pursue their own interests and supporting them unconditionally, prioritizing their success as people over their success as scientists.

The Mariani Lab investigates skeletal development and repair mechanisms, with a particular focus on understanding why regenerative capacity diminishes with age. Her team has developed important mouse models for studying large-scale bone regeneration, and their work has implications for improving bone healing in elderly patients and those with skeletal disorders.