How bone marrow stem cells find their home
Official title: Regulation of bone marrow homing by hematopoietic stem cell vesicles
Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-11531861 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A physician-scientist is pursuing training to understand how bone marrow stem cells interact with their bone marrow environment to improve stem cell transplants in patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $53,797 |
| NIH project number | 3K08HL175130-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11531861 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients undergoing or eligible for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation whose care could benefit from improved engraftment and niche support.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing transplantation or those with conditions not related to HSPC engraftment may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports a five-year training plan for an academic physician-scientist focused on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell communication with bone marrow niche cells and how this affects transplant outcomes. The work includes learning and applying skills in transplantation biology, advanced microscopy, lipid nanoparticle delivery, microRNA screening, and bioinformatics. The goal is to uncover mechanisms of HSPC and niche cell crosstalk that could lead to better graft success and patient recovery after transplantation. The research aims to translate basic cellular insights into strategies that could improve transplant efficacy in people with hematologic conditions. The sponsor provides mentorship from established leaders and access to university and hospital resources to support career development and scientific discovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more reliable bone marrow transplants with better engraftment and patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research in stem cell-niche interactions has shown promising clues, but this project aims to advance from foundational findings to targeted strategies for transplantation.
Where this research is happening
-
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hurwitz, Stephanie N — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Hurwitz, Stephanie N
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.