Our research

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are rare cells in the body that possess the ability to generate vast numbers of a multitude of specialised blood cell types required for our survival. HSCs are first generated in the early embryo and undergo a series of maturation processes that ultimately give rise to their key adult features of self-renewal, blood cell generation, and transplant capability. Our laboratory uses embryonic-like stem cells, termed induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, as the starting material in our culture systems to generate de novo hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.  

Research areas include: 

• Metabolic regulation in HSC development
• Mitigation of cellular stress in HSC development culture systems
• The molecular processes in endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition
• Neurotransmitter signalling in HSC development
• Cell Therapy modelling, correcting human disease models using iPS derived blood cells

Aims

• Our principle goal is to understand the molecular processes involved in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) development and recapitulate these processes in cell culture systems of pluripotent stem cells. 

• With this understanding, we ultimately aim to provide an unlimited source of patient matched HSCs patients with blood disorders and malignancies.

• We aim to be able to provide these cells to patients in need through academic/industrial partners within the next 7-10 years.

Impact

List of Team Woods' publications

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is a life-saving procedure for tens of thousands of patients each year for the treatment of hematological diseases and malignancies. Unfortunately, the limited availability of suitably matched donors of HSCs, leaves a significant fraction of patients (up to 30%) unable to undergo transplantation.  The ability to generate de novo HSCs from an unlimited source of cells, such as from a patient derived iPS cells, would enable the generation of an unlimited supply of matched transplantable HSCs for therapeutic purposes.

Additional information:

Join us: we are on the lookout for two talented postdoc level researchers.  Please contact  niels-bjarne [dot] woods [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se and provide your CV and a cover letter describing your research background and interests.

Team

(name linked to profile in Lund University research portal)

Niels-Bjarne Woods

Principal Investigator, Niels-Bjarne [dot] Woods [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se

Leal Oburoglu

Postdoc, Leal [dot] Oburoglu [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se

Roger Rönn

Assistant Researcher, Roger [dot] Ronn [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se

Xiaojie Xian

Staff Scientist, Xiaojie [dot] Xian [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se