How the cohesin protein STAG2 affects blood stem cells and leukemia
The role of the cohesin complex in hematopoietic transformation and leukemia maintenance
This project looks at whether losing the cohesin protein STAG2 changes how blood stem cells act and helps cause or keep acute leukemias like AML and MDS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11211050 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I had leukemia or donated bone marrow, researchers would compare three-dimensional DNA structures and gene activity in blood stem and progenitor cells from mice and people with and without STAG2 loss. They will use specialized lab tests (low-input Hi-ChIP, Hi-C, ChIP, and RNA-seq) and a reversible Stag2 genetic model to see which chromatin loops and enhancers change when STAG2 is lost and which are restored when it is turned back on. The team will also study AML models that carry both Stag2 and Flt3 mutations and will analyze human samples from a well-annotated MDS/AML biorepository and healthy bone marrow donors. Results will be used to pinpoint the chromatin events that drive continued self-renewal of malignant cells versus normal differentiation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with AML or MDS—especially those whose disease has STAG2 or FLT3 mutations—or individuals willing to donate bone marrow for research.
Not a fit: People without blood cancers or whose leukemia is caused by unrelated mutations may not receive direct benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal specific DNA regulatory changes that become targets for therapies to stop leukemia stem cells from growing.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked cohesin mutations to blood cancers, but using a reversible STAG2 model combined with detailed 3D chromatin mapping is a novel, preclinical approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Viny, Aaron D — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Viny, Aaron D
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.