Teresa V. Bowman, Ph.D. – VAI Seminar Series

Illuminating Blood Stem Cell Emergence, Aging, and Failure

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are among the most clinically important stem cell populations, and disruptions in their function contribute to a wide range of blood disorders, including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Our research aims to define the molecular pathways that control how HSCs develop, maintain their function, and age—and to understand the mechanisms that lead to their dysfunction in disease. We integrate the complementary strengths of zebrafish and human systems to investigate the developmental and genetic regulation of HSC biology. Zebrafish provide exceptional genetic tractability, in vivo imaging access, robust transplantation assays, and high-throughput screening potential. Human cells enable us to translate and validate key discoveries from our zebrafish models in the context of human disease and therapeutic applications. Through this combined approach, we have uncovered factors essential for HSC formation and function. These insights help guide new strategies to enhance HSC performance in aging and disease and to improve the derivation of functional HSCs from pluripotent stem cells.

Speaker Information: 
Teresa V. Bowman, Ph.D.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Host:
Stephanie Grainger, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology

If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Bowman and her research, please visit: https://einsteinmed.edu/faculty/13691/teresa-v-bowman