How low oxygen affects stressed blood-forming stem cells
Hypoxia's role in regulating stressed hematopoietic stem cells
This project looks at whether keeping bone-marrow stem cells in low-oxygen conditions helps them stay healthy for transplants and for people with bone marrow failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252805 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
They compare stem cells handled in room air (~21% O2) versus low-oxygen (physioxia, ~1–5% O2) to see how sudden oxygen exposure causes stem cells to lose function. The team will study mouse bone marrow, human cord blood, and patient bone marrow samples to track cell behavior and molecular signals such as BACH1 and BIM. Laboratory assays and transplant experiments in mice will test effects on stem cell survival, self-renewal, and differentiation. Results will be connected to diseases like Fanconi anemia to explore whether low-oxygen handling could improve transplant or gene-therapy outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with bone marrow failure (for example Fanconi anemia), patients preparing for hematopoietic cell transplant, or donors of cord blood or bone marrow for sample collection would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Individuals with health issues unrelated to bone marrow disorders or hematopoietic cell transplantation are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to improved stem-cell collection and handling that increases success of bone marrow transplants and gene therapies for bone marrow failure.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab work showed that collecting HSCs under physioxia preserves their function compared with ambient air, but applying and explaining these effects at the molecular level in disease contexts is novel.
Where this research is happening
Indianapolis, United States
- Indiana University Indianapolis — Indianapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kapur, Reuben — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Kapur, Reuben
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 below.