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Diana Laird, PhD

Photo of Diana Laird, PhD
Title(s)Professor, Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Sciences
SchoolSchool of Medicine
Address35 Medical Center Way, #1015
San Francisco CA 94143
Phone415-476-5471
PronounsShe/Her/Hers
ORCID ORCID Icon0000-0002-4930-0560 Additional info
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    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse education and training
    Harvard UniversityA.B.1995Physics
    Stanford UniversityPh.D.2003Biological Sciences
    Sloan Kettering InstitutePostdoctoral Fellowship2007Developmental Biology
    Collapse awards and honors
    San Francisco Chan Zuckerberg Biohub2022  - 2027Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator
    WM Keck Foundation2019Keck Foundation Award for Biomedical Research
    NIH Office of the Director2010  - 2015NIH New Innovator Award (DP2)
    2004  - 2007Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fellowship
    National Science Foundation1997  - 2000NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
    Tektronix Corporation1990Tektronix Scholarship for undergraduates

    Collapse Overview 
    Collapse overview
    We seek to understand what shapes the development and aging of our gametes, the egg and sperm. In the context of reproduction, we study cell heterogeneity, selection, and interactions between gametes and their supporting cells. We use imaging together with genomic approaches in laboratory mice, naked mole rats, and human tissues. Our work is motivated by solving infertility, optimizing healthy aging, and understanding how environmental exposures affect reproductive health.
    Collapse Academic Senate

    Collapse ORNG Applications 
    Collapse Featured Publications

    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Researchers can login to make corrections and additions, or contact us for help. to make corrections and additions.
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    Altmetrics Details PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Comprehensive profiling of migratory primordial germ cells reveals niche-specific differences in non-canonical Wnt and Nodal-Lefty signaling in anterior vs posterior migrants. eLife. 2025 Nov 19; 14. Jaszczak JR, Zussman ZJ, Wagner WD, Laird LD. .
      View in: Publisher Site   Mentions:
    2. Defining the cell and molecular origins of the primate ovarian reserve. Nat Commun. 2025 Aug 26; 16(1):7539. Wamaitha SE, Rojas EJ, Monticolo F, Hsu FM, Sosa E, Mackie AM, Oyama K, Custer M, Murphy M, Laird DJ, Shu J, Hennebold JD, Clark AT. PMID: 40858568; PMCID: PMC12381125.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    3. Evaluating Selective Quality Control in Mammalian Oogenesis: Evidence and Opportunities. Annu Rev Genet. 2025 Aug 08. Zussman JW, Skinner DJ, Wagner DE, Shvartsman SY, Laird DJ. PMID: 40780962; PMCID: PMC12510338.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    
    4. Integrated single-nuclei and spatial transcriptomic profiling of human sacrococcygeal teratomas reveals heterogeneity in cellular composition and X-chromosome inactivation. bioRxiv. 2025 Jul 24. Rojas EJ, Giannikou K, Huang BJ, Cho SJ, Cordero MA, Pena D, Vu L, Bagrodia A, Derderian SC, MacKenzie TC, Laird DJ. PMID: 40777431; PMCID: PMC12330569.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    5. Comprehensive profiling of migratory primordial germ cells reveals niche-specific differences in non-canonical Wnt and Nodal-Lefty signaling in anterior vs posterior migrants. bioRxiv. 2025 Jun 02. Jaszczak RG, Zussman JW, Wagner DE, Laird DJ. PMID: 39257761; PMCID: PMC11383659.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    6. Ancient viruses sustain mammalian reproduction. Nat Aging. 2025 May; 5(5):728-730. Doherty CA, Laird DJ. PMID: 40369347.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    
    7. Mammalian oocytes receive maternal-effect RNAs from granulosa cells. bioRxiv. 2025 Feb 11. Doherty CA, Tijjani A, Munger SC, Laird DJ. PMID: 39990310; PMCID: PMC11844425.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    8. Defining the cell and molecular origins of the primate ovarian reserve. bioRxiv. 2025 Jan 21. Wamaitha SE, Rojas EJ, Monticolo F, Hsu FM, Sosa E, Mackie AM, Oyama K, Custer M, Murphy M, Laird DJ, Shu J, Hennebold JD, Clark AT. PMID: 39896577; PMCID: PMC11785033.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    9. An updated reference genome sequence and annotation reveals gene losses and gains underlying naked mole-rat biology. bioRxiv. 2024 Nov 28. Sokolowski DJ, Miclau? M, Nater A, Faykoo-Martinez M, Hoekzema K, Zuzarte P, Monis S, Alvi SA, Erdmann J, Erdmann AL, Kumaragurubaran R, Bayerl J, Yoo D, Karimpour N, Ungerleider K, Hou H, J Martin F, Hourlier T, Clarke Z, Lischer HEL, Leordean DV, Jiang Y, Pugh TJ, Smith ESJ, Haggerty L, Laird DJ, Lilue J, Holmes MM, Eichler EE, Bruggmann R, Simpson JT, Balmus G, Wilson MD. PMID: 39651266; PMCID: PMC11623598.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    10. Sustained fertility from first-wave follicle oocytes that pause their growth. bioRxiv. 2024 Aug 28. Soygur B, Gaylord EA, Foecke MH, Cincotta SA, Horan TS, Wood A, Cohen PE, Laird DJ. PMID: 39253445; PMCID: PMC11383281.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    11. Prenatal AAV9-GFP administration in fetal lambs results in transduction of female germ cells and maternal exposure to virus. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2024 Jun 13; 32(2):101263. Borges B, Varthaliti A, Schwab M, Clarke MT, Pivetti C, Gupta N, Cadwell CR, Guibinga G, Phillips S, Del Rio T, Ozsolak F, Imai-Leonard D, Kong L, Laird DJ, Herzeg A, Sumner CJ, MacKenzie TC. PMID: 38827250; PMCID: PMC11141462.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6  
    12. Iterative oxidation by TET1 is required for reprogramming of imprinting control regions and patterning of mouse sperm hypomethylated regions. Dev Cell. 2024 04 22; 59(8):1010-1027.e8. Prasasya RD, Caldwell BA, Liu Z, Wu S, Leu NA, Fowler JM, Cincotta SA, Laird DJ, Kohli RM, Bartolomei MS. PMID: 38569549; PMCID: PMC11042979.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 11     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    13. Differential susceptibility of male and female germ cells to glucocorticoid-mediated signaling. Elife. 2024 Jan 16; 12. Cincotta SA, Richardson N, Foecke MH, Laird DJ. PMID: 38226689; PMCID: PMC10945581.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    14. Transcriptional repression upon S phase entry protects genome integrity in pluripotent cells. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2023 10; 30(10):1561-1570. Gökbuget D, Lenshoek K, Boileau RM, Bayerl J, Huang H, Wiita AP, Laird DJ, Blelloch R. PMID: 37696959.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    15. Generation of Schwann cell derived melanocytes from hPSCs identifies pro-metastatic factors in melanoma. bioRxiv. 2023 Mar 07. Samuel RM, Navickas A, Maynard A, Gaylord EA, Garcia K, Bhat S, Majd H, Richter MN, Elder N, Le D, Nguyen P, Shibata B, Llabata ML, Selleri L, Laird DJ, Darmanis S, Goodarzi H, Fattahi F. PMID: 36945537; PMCID: PMC10028814.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1  
    16. Eggs made from male mouse stem cells using error-prone culture. Nature. 2023 03; 615(7954):805-807. Bayerl J, Laird DJ. PMID: 36922658.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    17. Postnatal oogenesis leads to an exceptionally large ovarian reserve in naked mole-rats. Nat Commun. 2023 02 21; 14(1):670. Brieño-Enríquez MA, Faykoo-Martinez M, Goben M, Grenier JK, McGrath A, Prado AM, Sinopoli J, Wagner K, Walsh PT, Lopa SH, Laird DJ, Cohen PE, Wilson MD, Holmes MM, Place NJ. PMID: 36810851; PMCID: PMC9944903.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    18. A Roadmap for Three-Dimensional Analysis of the Intact Mouse Ovary. Methods Mol Biol. 2023; 2677:203-219. Soygur B, Foecke MH, Gaylord EA, Fries A, Li J, Arora R, Laird DJ. PMID: 37464244; PMCID: PMC10796149.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    19. Ovary Development: Insights From a Three-Dimensional Imaging Revolution. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021; 9:698315. Soygur B, Laird DJ. PMID: 34381780; PMCID: PMC8351467.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8  
    20. Natural selection at the cellular level: insights from male germ cell differentiation. Cell Death Differ. 2021 07; 28(7):2296-2299. Nguyen DH, Laird DJ. PMID: 34079077; PMCID: PMC8257642.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    21. Intercellular bridges coordinate the transition from pluripotency to meiosis in mouse fetal oocytes. Sci Adv. 2021 04; 7(15). Soygur B, Jaszczak RG, Fries A, Nguyen DH, Malki S, Hu G, Demir N, Arora R, Laird DJ. PMID: 33827806; PMCID: PMC8026130.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 24     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    22. Apoptosis in the fetal testis eliminates developmentally defective germ cell clones. Nat Cell Biol. 2020 12; 22(12):1423-1435. Nguyen DH, Soygur B, Peng SP, Malki S, Hu G, Laird DJ. PMID: 33199844; PMCID: PMC8389187.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 31     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    23. The UCSF Mouse Inventory Database Application, an Open Source Web App for Sharing Mutant Mice Within a Research Community. G3 (Bethesda). 2020 05 04; 10(5):1503-1510. Wall E, Scoles J, Joo A, Klein O, Quinonez C, Bush JO, Martin GR, Laird DJ. PMID: 32152007; PMCID: PMC7202022.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Animals
    24. Maternal vitamin C regulates reprogramming of DNA methylation and germline development. Nature. 2019 09; 573(7773):271-275. DiTroia SP, Percharde M, Guerquin MJ, Wall E, Collignon E, Ebata KT, Mesh K, Mahesula S, Agathocleous M, Laird DJ, Livera G, Ramalho-Santos M. PMID: 31485074; PMCID: PMC8423347.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 50     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    25. Heterogeneity of primordial germ cells. Curr Top Dev Biol. 2019; 135:155-201. Nguyen DH, Jaszczak RG, Laird DJ. PMID: 31155358; PMCID: PMC6605097.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 17     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    26. Heterogeneity of transposon expression and activation of the repressive network in human fetal germ cells. Development. 2019 02 01; 146(12). Reznik B, Cincotta SA, Jaszczak RG, Mateo LJ, Shen J, Cao M, Baskin L, Ye P, An W, Laird DJ. PMID: 30658985; PMCID: PMC6602354.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 14     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    27. How to lose your inheritance. Nature. 2018 10; 562(7728):497-498. Laird DJ. PMID: 30349122.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    28. Kinesin superfamily protein Kif26b links Wnt5a-Ror signaling to the control of cell and tissue behaviors in vertebrates. Elife. 2017 09 08; 6. Susman MW, Karuna EP, Kunz RC, Gujral TS, Cantú AV, Choi SS, Jong BY, Okada K, Scales MK, Hum J, Hu LS, Kirschner MW, Nishinakamura R, Yamada S, Laird DJ, Jao LE, Gygi SP, Greenberg ME, Ho HH. PMID: 28885975; PMCID: PMC5590807.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 25     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    29. A pilgrim's progress: Seeking meaning in primordial germ cell migration. Stem Cell Res. 2017 10; 24:181-187. Cantú AV, Laird DJ. PMID: 28754603; PMCID: PMC5634928.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 10     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    30. Smad4 regulates growth plate matrix production and chondrocyte polarity. Biol Open. 2017 Mar 15; 6(3):358-364. Whitaker AT, Berthet E, Cantu A, Laird DJ, Alliston T. PMID: 28167493; PMCID: PMC5374397.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    
    31. Patterning of sharp cellular interfaces with a reconfigurable elastic substrate. Integr Biol (Camb). 2017 01 23; 9(1):50-57. Curtis A, Li DJ, DeVeale B, Onishi K, Kim MY, Blelloch R, Laird DJ, Hui EE. PMID: 28001149; PMCID: PMC5575999.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    32. Insights from imaging the implanting embryo and the uterine environment in three dimensions. Development. 2016 12 15; 143(24):4749-4754. Arora R, Fries A, Oelerich K, Marchuk K, Sabeur K, Giudice LC, Laird DJ. PMID: 27836961; PMCID: PMC5201036.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 52     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    33. ROR2 in the adult mouse testis. Mol Reprod Dev. 2016 11; 83(11):943. Arora R, Laird DJ. PMID: 27696582.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    
    34. Discrete somatic niches coordinate proliferation and migration of primordial germ cells via Wnt signaling. J Cell Biol. 2016 07 18; 214(2):215-29. Cantú AV, Altshuler-Keylin S, Laird DJ. PMID: 27402951; PMCID: PMC4949447.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 17     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    35. Meiotic onset is reliant on spatial distribution but independent of germ cell number in the mouse ovary. J Cell Sci. 2016 07 01; 129(13):2493-9. Arora R, Abby E, Ross AD, Cantu AV, Kissner MD, Castro V, Ho HY, Livera G, Laird DJ. PMID: 27199373; PMCID: PMC5930833.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 11     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    36. A miR-372/let-7 Axis Regulates Human Germ Versus Somatic Cell Fates. Stem Cells. 2016 07; 34(7):1985-91. Tran ND, Kissner M, Subramanyam D, Parchem RJ, Laird DJ, Blelloch RH. PMID: 27066911; PMCID: PMC5145290.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 15     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    37. DAZL and CPEB1 regulate mRNA translation synergistically during oocyte maturation. J Cell Sci. 2016 Mar 15; 129(6):1271-82. Sousa Martins JP, Liu X, Oke A, Arora R, Franciosi F, Viville S, Laird DJ, Fung JC, Conti M. PMID: 26826184; PMCID: PMC4813292.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 55     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    38. Cryopreservation and recovery of human endometrial epithelial cells with high viability, purity, and functional fidelity. Fertil Steril. 2016 Feb; 105(2):501-10.e1. Chen JC, Hoffman JR, Arora R, Perrone LA, Gonzalez-Gomez CJ, Vo KC, Laird DJ, Irwin JC, Giudice LC. PMID: 26515378; PMCID: PMC4744114.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    39. Follicle dynamics and global organization in the intact mouse ovary. Dev Biol. 2015 Jul 01; 403(1):69-79. Faire M, Skillern A, Arora R, Nguyen DH, Wang J, Chamberlain C, German MS, Fung JC, Laird DJ. PMID: 25889274; PMCID: PMC4469539.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 29     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    40. Novel domains of expression for orphan receptor tyrosine kinase Ror2 in the human and mouse reproductive system. Dev Dyn. 2014 Aug; 243(8):1037-45. Arora R, Altman E, Tran ND, Laird DJ. PMID: 24753105; PMCID: PMC4258601.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    41. Wnt and Bmp fit germ cells to a T. Dev Cell. 2013 Dec 09; 27(5):485-7. Cantú AV, Laird DJ. PMID: 24331924; PMCID: PMC3929049.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    42. Vitamin C induces Tet-dependent DNA demethylation and a blastocyst-like state in ES cells. Nature. 2013 Aug 08; 500(7461):222-6. Blaschke K, Ebata KT, Karimi MM, Zepeda-Martínez JA, Goyal P, Mahapatra S, Tam A, Laird DJ, Hirst M, Rao A, Lorincz MC, Ramalho-Santos M. PMID: 23812591; PMCID: PMC3893718.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 454     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    43. Humans put their eggs in more than one basket. Nat Cell Biol. 2013 Jan; 15(1):13-5. Laird DJ. PMID: 23263370; PMCID: PMC3889477.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    44. Primordial germ cells and gastrointestinal stromal tumors respond distinctly to a cKit overactivating allele. Hum Mol Genet. 2013 Jan 15; 22(2):313-27. Chen L, Faire M, Kissner MD, Laird DJ. PMID: 23077213; PMCID: PMC3526162.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    45. miR-372/let-7 axis regulates human primordial germ cell specification. Fertility and Sterility. 2012 Sep 1; 98(3):s19. Tran TN, Kissner KM, Laird LD, Blelloch BR. .
      View in: Publisher Site   Mentions:
    46. Ror2 enhances polarity and directional migration of primordial germ cells. PLoS Genet. 2011 Dec; 7(12):e1002428. Laird DJ, Altshuler-Keylin S, Kissner MD, Zhou X, Anderson KV. PMID: 22216013; PMCID: PMC3245308.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 47     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    47. Lin28-let7-Blimp1 Circuitry regulates human primordial germ cells (hPGC) development from human embryonic stem cells (hESC). Fertility and Sterility. 2011 Sep 1; 96(3):s104. Tran TN, Laird LD, Kissner KM, Conti CM, Blelloch BR. .
      View in: Publisher Site   Mentions:
    48. Establishment and characterization of human germ cells derived from embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Fertility and Sterility. 2010 Sep 1; 94(4):s7-s8. Tran TN, Laird LD, Kissner KM, Supramanyam SD, Conti CM, Blelloch BR. .
      View in: Publisher Site   Mentions:
    49. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes have the functional and proliferative capabilities needed for liver regeneration in mice. J Clin Invest. 2010 Sep; 120(9):3120-6. Espejel S, Roll GR, McLaughlin KJ, Lee AY, Zhang JY, Laird DJ, Okita K, Yamanaka S, Willenbring H. PMID: 20739754; PMCID: PMC2929736.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 82     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    50. Stem cell trafficking in tissue development, growth, and disease. Cell. 2008 Feb 22; 132(4):612-30. Laird DJ, von Andrian UH, Wagers AJ. PMID: 18295579.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 117     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    51. Stem cells are units of natural selection in a colonial ascidian. Cell. 2005 Dec 29; 123(7):1351-60. Laird DJ, De Tomaso AW, Weissman IL. PMID: 16377573.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 82     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    52. Identification of a novel gene involved in asexual organogenesis in the budding ascidian Botryllus schlosseri. Dev Dyn. 2005 Dec; 234(4):997-1005. Laird DJ, Chang WT, Weissman IL, Lauzon RJ. PMID: 16193502; PMCID: PMC2821222.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    53. Predatory stem cells in the non-zebrafish chordate, Botryllus schlosseri. Zebrafish. 2005; 1(4):357-61. Laird DJ, De Tomaso AW. PMID: 18248214; PMCID: PMC11614194.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    
    54. Telomerase maintained in self-renewing tissues during serial regeneration of the urochordate Botryllus schlosseri. Dev Biol. 2004 Sep 15; 273(2):185-94. Laird DJ, Weissman IL. PMID: 15328006.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 17     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    55. Continuous development precludes radioprotection in a colonial ascidian. Dev Comp Immunol. 2004 Mar; 28(3):201-9. Laird DJ, Weissman IL. PMID: 14642887.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    56. 50 million years of chordate evolution: seeking the origins of adaptive immunity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Jun 20; 97(13):6924-6. Laird DJ, De Tomaso AW, Cooper MD, Weissman IL. PMID: 10860947; PMCID: PMC34360.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 24     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
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