I am an investigator at Stanford University, in the Department of Pathology, where my lab focuses on understanding the biology of the aging hematopoietic system. As a post-doctoral fellow, I identified a common, pre-malignant state for blood cancers by reanalysis of large genomic datasets. This condition, termed “clonal hematopoiesis,” is characterized by the presence of stem cell clones harboring certain changes to the DNA, known as somatic mutations. Clonal hematopoiesis is prevalent in the aging population and increases the risk of not only blood cancer, but also cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. For this discovery, I received a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award. Understanding the biology of these mutations and how they contribute to the development of cancer and other age-related diseases is the current focus of work in my lab. Our studies utilize genetic and clinical information from datasets comprising several hundred thousand individuals in order to understand the impact of clonal hematopoiesis in humans. We also study the effect of the mutations causing clonal hematopoiesis in human and mouse tissues through a combination of genomic profiling, functional assays, and rodent models of disease. Our ultimate goal is to prevent the development of cancer, heart disease, and death in those who harbor these lesions.