Research
Overview
Tissue stem cells are rare and only make the maturing and mature cells of the tissue they serve (HSC for blood, NSC for brain, GSC for sperm or oocytes etc. ). Within a tissue they are the only cells that can self-renew throughout life. Over time, these stem cells accumulate and propagate mutations and those mutant stem cells can contribute to disease and aging.
At Hopkins Marine Station our research focuses on Botryllus schlosseri, a marine organism with very interesting stem cell biology and immunobiology. This colonial organism undergoes complete regeneration cycles on a weekly basis through stem cell mediated budding. When two adjacent colonies establish vascular connections, stem cells from one colony invade the other and can take over the germline so that the invaded colony will produce reproductive cells with the genotype of its neighboring colony..
The discovery of stem cell competition in Botryllus has not only contributed to our understanding of this species but has also paved the way for uncovering similar phenomena, such as spermatogenic stem cell competition in mammals, as well as stem cell competition and clonal expansions in leukemias and aging.
Research Focus
The Botryllus sexual and asexual developmental pathways: two distinct programs producing the same tunicate
Kowarsky et al., Cell Reports 2021
Conserved mechanisms of neural degeneration in Botryllus
aging central nervous system
Evolution of blood born immune system and stem cell niches
Rosental et al., Nature 2018
Voskoboynik et al., Cell 2008
Botryllus Histocompatibility Factor BHF, a gene controlling self non- self recognition and chimera formation
Voskoboynik et al., Science 2013
