Maike Sander

Maike Sander serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine within the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Her research laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying pancreatic cell differentiation, function, and regeneration within the contexts of normal physiology, diabetes, and cancer. Dr. Sander employs diverse experimental systems including mouse genetics, human embryonic stem cell-based in vitro differentiation platforms, and genomic and biochemical approaches.

Dr. Sander's research focuses on developmental biology, genetics and genomics, gene expression and regulation, and stem cell biology, with particular emphasis on pancreatic development and diabetes mechanisms. Her work explores how chromatin remodeling events prepare developmental precursors to receive and interpret organ-inductive signals, and how the cellular environment shapes the epigenome to influence cellular phenotypes in the pancreas. This research provides critical insights into diseases influenced by both environmental and genetic factors, particularly diabetes.

Analysis of Dr. Sander's recent publications reveals a strong focus on single-cell multiomics approaches to understand beta cell dysfunction in diabetes, epigenetic regulation of pancreatic development, and stem cell differentiation toward pancreatic fates. Her work consistently bridges basic developmental biology with translational applications for diabetes treatment, demonstrating how genomic variation, environmental factors, and cellular mechanisms interact in pancreatic diseases.

Scientific Awards:

• 2020 Elected Member, Association of American Physicians
• 2017 Elected Member, German National Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina)
• 2017 Humboldt Research Award
• 2011 Elected Member, American Society for Clinical Investigation
• 2008 Grodsky Award, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Dr. Sander serves as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded research projects totaling millions of dollars, including grants focused on pancreatic beta cell states, type 1 diabetes modeling, and genetic mechanisms of diabetes risk. Her laboratory (Sander Lab) combines advanced genomic approaches with stem cell biology to investigate pancreatic development and diabetes pathogenesis, positioning her as a leader in the field of pancreatic islet research.