James Godwin

James Godwin is an Assistant Professor with affiliations at the University of Maine's Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Jackson Laboratory (JAX), and the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL). His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying scar-free regeneration in salamanders, particularly the roles of nerve and immune cells in tissue repair. Godwin's work bridges comparative biology and immunomodulation to develop strategies for enhancing human regenerative potential.

Education:

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (Monash University, Australia)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, University College London (UK)
• Ph.D., Immunology Research Center, Melbourne University (Australia)

Research interests include immunology/inflammation, stem cell biology, regeneration of heart/spinal cord tissues, and comparative regeneration studies across species. His lab investigates how natural regenerative processes in salamanders can inform therapies for mammals, focusing on macrophage signaling, nerve-dependent repair, and inflammation control.

Current projects explore pro-regenerative macrophage recruitment, TLR signaling in tissue damage responses, and cross-species immune system comparison. Collaborations with JAX and MDIBL enable multi-model organism studies (salamanders/mice).

Future work aims to translate salamander regeneration insights into clinical applications for scar-free healing in humans.