Keynote

Dr. Angel Alvarez is the Director of the Stem Cell Core and a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at Northwestern University. He has extensive experience in stem cell biology, imaging, gene delivery, and biotechnology. As the Director of the Northwestern Stem Cell Core, he establishes disease models to accelerate therapeutic development using organoid technology and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells. Many of the most rewarding aspects of his current position are derived from the Core’s exciting collaborations in reproductive biology, neuroscience, and pathology. Beyond his lab research, Dr. Alvarez has a passion for employing his analytical skills to address inequity in education.

Accomplishments During his doctoral research, Dr. Alvarez investigated the development of stem cell technologies and the biology of cancer. He demonstrated the critical role of nanog in facilitating induced pluripotency and established patient-derived cell lines to characterize gene expression, cell pathway activation, and protein markers in brain tumors. During his post doctorial research, he developed tumor stem cell lines to study oncogenic signaling and factors that mediate tumor growth, invasion, and radiation resistance; notably through Wnt signaling and exosome secretion. Dr. Alvarez has earned several competitive awards, including separate pre- and post- doctoral T32 fellowships, in addition to funding from universities, private foundations, and the NIH. His research has led to the development of exciting intellectual property in both stem cell technology and cancer, yielding 11 issued US patents as well as multiple pending and international patents. He has served as a mentor to numerous emerging scholars, including several IMSA SIR students, and is most proud of being a father to his amazing daughter.