Diana Hargreaves was promoted to the rank of associate professor after the latest round of faculty reviews determined she is a scientific leader who has made original, innovative and notable contributions to biological research.

The promotion was based on recommendations by Salk faculty and nonresident fellows, and approved by President Rusty Gage and the Institute’s Board of Trustees in April.

Hargreaves, who is a member of Salk’s Molecular and Cell Laboratory, and holder of the Richard Heyman and Anne Daigle Endowed Developmental Chair, studies how the diversity of cell types in our body is controlled by proteins, called epigenetic regulators, that selectively activate genes particular to each cell type, whether it be skin, liver, brain or others. She applies her knowledge of biochemistry and epigenomics to investigate epigenetic regulation in models of cancer, embryonic-stem-cell pluripotency, and immune cell function.

Among other honors, she was awarded the Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research in 2019 and the American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award in 2020 to support her work on a better understanding of the causes, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.