Researchers in the NYU Cancer Institute Stem Cell Biology Program focus on the molecular and cellular principles governing stem cell biology, aiming to:
- Identify genetic networks that define cancer stem cells and apply this knowledge to predict tumor aggressiveness and tumor behavior during therapy
- Determine how stem cells are selected and maintained, and how stem cell migration during normal development can be misregulated during tumorigenesis
- Understand the triggers that regulate inter-conversion between cell lineages and apply this knowledge to tissue engineering
- Develop screening technologies that facilitate the design of novel therapies that specifically target cancer stem cells
With these goals, our investigators are exploring the following areas of research related to different types of stem cells:
Hematopoietic Stem Cells
- Role of the transcription factor TBLR1 in hematopoiesis
- Molecular mechanisms of hematopoietic stem cell regulation and lymphocyte progenitor differentiation and transformation
- Myeloma stem cells
- Biological pathways that lead to acute lymphocytic leukemia relapse
- Autologous peripheral blood stem cells to support chemotherapy in patients with pediatric malignant brain tumors
Neuronal Stem Cells
- Adult neural stem cells
- Neuronal subtype differentiation of embryonic stem cells
Cardiac Stem Cells
- Molecular mechanisms that specify cardiac chamber-specific progenitor populations
Prostate Stem Cells
- Enriched in proximal region of mouse prostatic ducts
- Histone lysine methylation
Breast Cancer Stem Cells
- Alveolar developmental pathways and tumor formation
Germline Biology
- Germline stem cell development in Drosophila and C. elegans
Epigenetic Mechanisms
- Structural aspects of the epigenetic code