Donald Sakaguchi

Don Sakaguchi is a Morrill Professor in the Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology at Iowa State University and serves as Director of the Biology and Genetics Undergraduate Programs. He has dedicated his career to advancing both scientific discovery and student success through research, teaching, and academic leadership.

Before joining the faculty at Iowa State University, Dr. Sakaguchi was a postdoctoral fellow and research biologist at the University of California, San Diego, where he trained in the laboratory of Bill Harris. He earned his Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Albany, where he conducted doctoral research in the laboratory of Rodney K. Murphey.

Dr. Sakaguchi’s research laboratory is located in the Nanovaccine Institute on the fifth floor of Iowa State’s Advanced Teaching and Research Building (ATRB). His research focuses on developing innovative strategies for brain and tissue rescue and repair, with particular emphasis on regenerative approaches for neurodegenerative disease and nervous system injury.

A major area of investigation in the Sakaguchi laboratory involves the use of stem cells as therapeutic tools for neuroprotection and cellular replacement. His group studies multipotent stem cells, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and neural stem/progenitor cells, that are genetically engineered to release neurotrophic factors. These approaches are designed to protect damaged neurons, promote regeneration, and restore function following injury or disease. Dr. Sakaguchi’s laboratory seeks to create durable and effective treatments for disorders of the nervous system.