Guest lecture by Adam Wilkinson | Blood stem cell expansion: technology to biology

On 21 May 2024 (3:00 PM, later time than usual) ) prof Adam Wilkinson PhD (Raddcliffe Dept Medicine, University of Oxford, UK) will give a guest lecture at Sanquin, Amsterdam.

Title: 'Blood stem cell expansion: technology to biology'

Host: Arthur Svendsen

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Abstact
Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are a rare but potent cell type that support life-long haematopoiesis and stably regenerate the entire blood and immune system following transplantation. HSC transplantation represents a mainstay treatment for various diseases of the blood and immune systems. The ex vivo expansion and manipulation of HSCs therefore represents an important approach to ask biological questions in experimental haematology and to help improve clinical HSC transplantation therapies. However, for many years it remained challenging to expand transplantable HSCs ex vivo. I will summarise recent improvements in expanding functional HSCs ex vivo, particularly using new polymer-based culture conditions. I will also provide examples of the biomedical applications of this technology, including how we can use these systems to uncover new biological mechanisms regulating HSC activity.