Diana Bianchi
Faculty
- Natalie V. Zucker Professor of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine
- Vice Chair for Research, Department of Pediatrics, Floating Hospital for Children and Tufts-NEMC
- President, International Society of Prenatal Diagnosis
In search of a noninvasive prenatal test to replace amniocentesis, Diana Bianchi made an unprecedented discovery: that after pregnancy, fetal cells persist in a woman’s blood stream for decades—perhaps for the rest of her life. Yet more astonishing, Bianchi’s work demonstrates that these cells actually help the mother’s body respond to injury and disease. Like stem cells, they can apparently differentiate into any cell type in the body; speculation about the therapeutic possibilities has only begun. Meanwhile, thanks to Dr. Bianchi’s work on fetal testing, we may soon, for the first time, have a safe, reliable test that shows whether a fetus will be able to see and hear normally outside the womb.
