Dr Teresa Rayon

The Rayon's lab overall aim at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge is to investigate the molecular and metabolic pathways that control biological timing and lifespan. We make use of comparative human and mouse stem cell models as well as embryos to search for the regulatory mechanisms that determine species-specific timing.

Our current research questions are:
1.    What is the role of protein turnover in developmental timing and lifespan?
2.    How does the genetic basis of tempo control work?
3.    Can we modulate developmental timing and extend lifespan?

The lab employs genetic and pharmacological manipulations and quantitative and temporally resolved techniques such as flow cytometry, imaging, and genome-wide approaches to investigate the molecular and metabolic mechanisms that regulate biological timing.

Overall, the identification of physiological mechanisms that modulate timing and its translation to stem cell models may have important implications in the field of human assisted reproduction, regenerative medicine, and aging. Changing the pace of developmental processes may facilitate the generation of clinically relevant cell types faster or it may allow lifespan extension.