Dr. Margaret T. Fuller is a distinguished developmental biologist whose pioneering research has profoundly shaped our understanding of cellular differentiation and gene regulation mechanisms. She currently holds the prestigious position of Reed-Hodgson Professor of Human Biology and Katharine Dexter McCormick and Stanley McCormick Memorial Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine (2022–present), where she serves as Professor of both Developmental Biology and Genetics. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Physics from Brandeis University in 1974, she pursued doctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving her PhD in Microbiology in 1980. She further refined her expertise through postdoctoral research at Indiana University, specializing in developmental genetics before establishing her influential research program at Stanford University where she has advanced fundamental biological principles for over three decades.
Dr. Fuller's groundbreaking research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that govern cellular differentiation, particularly in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. Her laboratory's seminal work has elucidated critical regulatory pathways that control the transition from cellular proliferation to differentiation, revealing how RNA binding proteins and chromatin modifications coordinate developmental switches. She made pivotal discoveries regarding the role of alternative 3' end processing in controlling gene expression during spermatogenesis, demonstrating how shortened 3'UTRs enable precise temporal regulation of protein production during cellular differentiation. Her research has established foundational principles for understanding how cells commit to specific fates, with implications spanning regenerative medicine, cancer biology, and developmental disorders.
Beyond her own research program, Dr. Fuller has been instrumental in advancing the field through her leadership roles and mentorship of the next generation of scientists. As a member of the National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) (2011–present), she has helped shape research priorities in developmental biology and genetics at the national level. She actively contributes to major scientific initiatives including the Stanford Bio-X program, Cardiovascular Institute, and Cancer Institute, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations that bridge basic science with clinical applications. Currently directing ambitious projects to map the regulatory circuitry controlling cellular differentiation, her ongoing work continues to illuminate fundamental biological processes while opening new avenues for therapeutic intervention in diseases of cellular identity.
