Klaus H. Kaestner

Klaus H. Kaestner is the Thomas and Evelyn Suor Butterworth Professor in Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. He serves as Director of the Center of Excellence in Type 1 Diabetes, Associate Director of the Penn Diabetes Research Center, Associate Director of the Penn Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Diseases, and Director of the Next Generation Sequencing Center.

Dr. Kaestner received his B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Universität Bremen (1984), M.S. from University of Maryland, College Park (1986), and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University Medical School (1990). His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of organogenesis and physiology of the liver, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract using modern genetic, genomic and epigenomic approaches.

His lab employs cutting-edge technologies including gene targeting, tissue-specific and inducible gene ablation, ChIP-Seq, RNA-Seq, and CyTOF to investigate diabetes mechanisms with emphasis on epigenomic rejuvenation of human pancreatic beta-cells. His research on increasing functional beta-cell mass addresses a critical need in diabetes treatment where current therapies cannot increase beta-cell mass in humans. His work also explores regulatory cascades in gastrointestinal epithelium differentiation and proliferation, and innovative genetic approaches for hepatic repopulation.

Dr. Kaestner's extensive publication record spans molecular biology, diabetes research, epigenomics, and organ development, with recent work focusing on single-cell multi-omics, 3D chromatin architecture, and immune perturbations in diabetes. His research has significant translational potential for developing novel clinical treatments for chronic diseases.

He mentors numerous graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research specialists, fostering a vibrant research environment focused on advancing our understanding of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying major diseases. His leadership extends to directing multiple research centers that facilitate collaborative, interdisciplinary research.