Jeanne Loring, PhD
Jeanne Loring, PhD. Credit: Scripps Research.

For her work in the field of stem cell research, Jeanne Loring, PhD, professor emeritus in the Department of Molecular Medicine and founding director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at Scripps Research, was named to Endpoints News’ Women in Biopharma R&D report for 2024.

The Women in Biopharma R&D report was launched in 2019 to celebrate the accomplishments and impact of women in biopharma research and development, as well as recognize the industry barriers these women have overcome. Loring was one of 20 women selected annually for the report.

Loring has spent decades researching the use of stem cell technology to address neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. These pluripotent stem cells have the ability to become any of the cell types in the human body. Her breadth of technical expertise ranges from DNA sequencing to cell therapy. She has published landmark papers such as the first method for single cell RNA sequencing, the first single base pair map of the methylome of human cells, the first pluripotent stem cells from an endangered species, and the widely used assay for pluripotency, PluriTest®.

Loring founded Aspen Neuroscience Inc., a San Diego-based biotechnology company, to develop a personalized stem cell-derived dopamine neuron replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease. In addition to human stem cell therapies, she is involved in broad applications of pluripotent stem cells, including for rescue of endangered species and for investigating the effects of space flight on the nervous system.