Michele Calos

Dr. Calos is a Professor in the Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, where she has served as a tenured faculty member since 1987. She received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the laboratory of Nobel laureate Prof. Walter Gilbert at Harvard University and pursued postdoctoral training at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Her research focuses on sequence-specific genetic engineering as a tool for generating transgenic cell lines and organisms and for advancing gene and stem cell therapies for diseases such as muscular dystrophy. Dr. Calos’ research career encompasses the development and use of several cutting-edge plasmid vector systems for molecular biology applications, such as shuttle vectors, Epstein-Barr virus plasmids, autonomous replication systems for mammalian cells, and integrating vector systems. Her laboratory pioneered the use of the site-specific FC31 phage integrase to modify mammalian cells and, in collaboration with Applied StemCell’s Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Ruby Yanru Chen-Tsai and Stanford Professor Dr. Liqun Luo, to engineer transgenic mice. Additionally, Dr. Calos’ experience includes serving as the Vice President of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, as well as service on the Advisory Committee of the US FDA for Cell, Tissue, and Gene Therapy, grant review committees for the NIH, NSF, and various international agencies, and editorial work for numerous scientific journals.