An area of biology that will be affected by Kornberg’s discovery is stem cell research.  The process of differentiation of cells involves turning genes on and off during specific times of development (6).  These genes are controlled by the transcription regulatory mechanisms during differentiation and development.  Understanding how transcription works gives researchers a look into how genes can be controlled, when and how they are turned on and off.  This allows researchers to better understand what genes are needed to grow healthy stem cells, and how to control these cells differentiation and development.