Research

Our research focus is on developing a detailed molecular understanding of regulation of red cell production referred to as erythropoiesis. Erythropoiesis occurs exclusively in erythroid niches termed erythroblastic island (EBI) which is composed of a central macrophage surrounded by developing erythroid cells. Our lab has developed methods to purify both human and mouse erythroid cells at distinct developmental stages and methods to quantify the progress of erythroid differentiation in vivo.  We have also developed methods to purify the EBI macrophages Through RNA-seq analysis, the lab has constructed global transcriptomes of human and murine erythroid cells as well as EBI macrophages. We are currently working on three main research areas: 1) regulation of erythropoiesis with focus on mechanisms for erythroblast enucleation; 2) how EBI macrophages regulate erythropoiesis; 3) Improving ex vivo red cell production from stem cells.

Lab Personnel

• Chengjie Gao, BS, Visiting Scientist, PhD Student
• Xinhua Guo, MS, Senior Research Associate
• Yongshuai Han, BS, Visiting Scientist, PhD Student

Funding Support

• NIH P01 HL149626 An (PI, Project 4) 07/20/2020 – 06/30/2025 "Hemolysis and the Hematopoietic Niche”

• NIH R01 HL140625 An, Lobo, Westhoff (Multi-PI) 12/15/2017-11/30/2022 (NCE) "Use of forward genetic approaches to identify Babesia receptors”

Education and Training

Doctoral Training
MD Henan Medical University, China
PhD in Biochemistry, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Japan

Post-doctoral Training
Molecular Biology and Cell Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS