Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies

Bone marrow transplantation is the most widespread cell therapy today, and is applicable to different pathologies. To date more than 1 million, bone marrow transplants (BMT) have been performed in the world. Despite this milestone, there are still many patients who die because of an insufficient number of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are available. Different approaches have been followed to ensure the success of BMT when limited numbers of hematopoietic stem cells are available, including cell expansion, co-infusion with accessory cells... but with little success and limited clinical application. Recently,a beneficial effect of estrogens on the hematopoietic system of female mice have been described. This effect is being explored in our laboratory in human hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). To date, the mechanisms that are induced in HSCs by estrogens are not entirely clear. In fact, contradictory results have been described. Therefore, a more detailed study of these mechanisms is needed, before making these molecules clinically applicable to improve BMT. The aim of the Master Degree Project will be i) to study the effect of estrogens in HSCs; ii) to describe their effect on the properties of HSCs, and iii) to chareacterize the mechanisms involved in the estrogens-HSC interaction.