Paul Tesar Named 2017 NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize Recipient
News Press ReleaseDr. Paul Tesar, a professor at Case Western Reserve University and NYSCF — Robertson Stem Cell Investigator Alumnus, is the 2017 recipient of the NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize for his pioneering discovery of pluripotent epiblast stem cells and technologies to utilize pluripotent stem cells for discovery of new therapeutics for neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and pediatric leukodystrophies.
“This recognition is truly an honor for me and my scientific team,” said Dr. Tesar. “This prize recognizes the importance of stem cell research and will accelerate our efforts to rapidly and safely bring new stem cell-based therapies to patients.”
The Tesar laboratory has recently focused on the study of myelination – the insulating coating on nerve cells critical to their function – and the diseases that impact it, developing new techniques of producing myelinating cell types in the laboratory from stem cells. These cells have been used for screening new drug candidates, translating this work into a clinical impact and fundamentally enabling advances in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.
The NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize has been awarded annually since 2011 to an outstanding young stem cell scientist in recognition of significant and path breaking translational stem cell research. All NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Prize recipients receive $200,000 to be used for research purposes at their discretion.