Hematopoietic Stem Cell Development Laboratory
Woods group
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
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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.
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With this understanding, we ultimately aim to provide an unlimited source of patient matched HSCs patients with blood disorders and malignancies.
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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
Researcher, Roger [dot] Ronn [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se
Xiaojie Xian
Staff Scientist, Xiaojie [dot] Xian [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se
Niels-Bjarne Woods
Principal Investigator
Associate Professor
Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy
Phone: +46 46 222 37 62
Email: niels-bjarne [dot] woods [at] med [dot] lu [dot] setarget="_self"