How do axolotls regrow limbs? Harvard’s Jessica Whited looks for answers

Jessica Whited and her lab at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute study limb regeneration in axolotls. She hopes that one day, her research will be able to be transferred to humans. Growing up, Jessica witnessed the effects of limb loss first-hand. Her grandfather suffered from peripheral artery disease, which causes reduced blood flow to the arms and legs. He experienced multiple amputations towards the end of his life. Watching his experience played a significant part in Jessica’s decision to pursue research in limb regeneration. Axolotls, an aquatic salamander, can regenerate limbs throughout their life. Instead of forming scar tissue, the axolotl grows a blastema, where stem cells gather and eventually regrow into the missing limb. Jessica hopes that someday, the axolotl’s unique healing and regeneration abilities will allow humans to regenerate their limbs. Read more about Jessica and her research in the Harvard Gazette: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/09/it-feels-very-personal/ Source for limb loss statistics in the United States: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arrct.2024.100376