The laboratory of Stephanie Hurwitz, MD, PhD, seeks to better understand the interaction of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) with the bone marrow microenvironment.
Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) transplantation is a lifesaving therapy for otherwise incurable hematopoietic malignancies or bone marrow failure. Graft success after intravenous infusion requires donor HSPC migration to specialized, highly vascularized marrow niches, where progenitor cells can reconstitute a clonally diverse blood and immune system. Clinically achieving optimal transplantation requires a minimum dose of HSPCs; however, this can be constrained by patient age and disease status, particularly in autologous transplants.
One mechanism of HSPC crosstalk with supportive niche cells is via the secretion and uptake of nanoscale extracellular vesicles (EVs) that carry bioactive cargo including proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Using a variety of in vitro and in vivo models, the Hurwitz lab studies the complex HSPC-niche signaling, including through EVs, that underlies physiologic and therapeutic mechanisms of HSPC marrow homing and niche occupancy. The long-term goal of the lab is to develop novel, non-toxic strategies to improve patient outcomes after HSPC transplantation.