Peter W. Reddien

Peter W. Reddien is Professor of Biology at MIT, Member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator. He serves as Associate Head of MIT's Department of Biology and leads regenerative biology research using planarian flatworms as a model system.

Education:

• Undergraduate: Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin
• PhD: Biology, MIT (Advisor: Robert Horvitz)
• Postdoctoral: Stowers Institute (with Alejandro Sanchez Alvarado)

Reddien's research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of regeneration. His lab discovered that planarians utilize pluripotent adult stem cells called neoblasts for tissue renewal and regeneration. They identified muscle tissue as the primary source of positional information during regeneration, mediated by position control genes including Wnt signaling components. This work revealed how coordinate systems guide stem cell behavior to rebuild correct anatomical structures.

His publication trends demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches combining genomics, molecular biology, and imaging to map cell types and signaling pathways in regeneration. Recent work emphasizes single-cell transcriptomics and the role of tissue architecture in instructing regenerative outcomes across developmental biology and regenerative medicine fields.

Awards:

• Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Fellow (2003)
• Rita Allen Scholar Award (2006)
• Searle Scholar Award (2006)
• Smith Family Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research (2006)
• Keck Distinguished Young Scholar (2008)
• HHMI Early Career Scientist (2010)
• Mossman Developmental Biology Award (2012)
• HHMI Investigator (2013)

As an HHMI Investigator, Reddien directs substantial research funding supporting his lab's work on stem cell regulation and positional information. He mentors graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at MIT, with research implications for regenerative medicine and aging. Current projects explore Delta-Notch signaling in nervous system regeneration and molecular mechanisms of tissue patterning.

The Reddien Lab operates at the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, employing genomic tools and live imaging to study planarian regeneration. The team collaborates globally to investigate conserved regenerative mechanisms, with recent work featured in 2024-2025 news coverage on neoblast function and neural regeneration.