simply blood

As the importance of public engagement is increasingly recognised, the phrase is being used more frequently. We all love haematology research, and are fortunate that the public, through governments and charities, supports us strongly enough that they are willing to pay for our experiments (and our rent…). Researchers have a responsibility to return the favour – to inform the public about what we do and how it benefits them, answer their questions, and listen to their expectations for our research. These collaborative interactions between experts and non-experts have been labelled public engagement. To ensure that they are serving society as effectively as possible, scientific institutions are increasingly encouraging, and sometimes even requiring, researchers to engage with the community. Public engagement in the sciences aims to expand from the traditional approach where the only goal was to increase the public’s understanding of science, to focus on mutual interaction...

Exploring Experimental Hematology: RUNX1 and the Endothelial Origin of Blood In this issue of Simply Blood, Teresa Bowman is exploring Experimental Hematology by highlighting and deconstructing one of her favorite manuscripts from the ISEH society journal: " RUNX1 and the Endothelial Origin of Blood " by Gao et al. The functionality of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to replenish and maintain the entire hematopoietic system is the basis for bone marrow transplantation, one of the most well established stem cell-based therapies. Transplantation is curative for many hematologic disorders, but immune-matched donor cells remain limited for many patients. Understanding how HSCs form endogenously during development should provide key insights into expanding donor HSCs from existing sources or generating HSCs from pluripotent stem cells. HSCs first arise during embryonic development through an endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition. Extensive work over the past decade has re...

Throughout the next few months ISEH member, Christophe Lancrin, will be highlighting his professional journey working in various European countries. This month we travel to France to explore Christophe's knowledge about the two main state-funded scientific organizations and the most typical way to enter the French system. “When in Rome, do as the Roman’s do”, I think we have heard this phrase when we want to emphasize that each country may have their own way to do certain things. But have you wonder if “Roman’s” have a specific way to become and being a Principal Investigator? The short answer is yes, and not only Italian’s but I found differences among at least three different European countries that I have worked. Whether you are looking for a job opportunity in Europe or just to expand your knowledge on how is to do research among different countries, I am sure you will find this Blog series very useful. Over my research career, I have worked in France, United Kingdom and...

Each month, Simply Blood spotlights a lab focused on the research of basic hematology, immunology, stem cell research, cell and gene therapy, and other related aspects. Get to know these different labs around the world! This month, we are featuring the Butler lab at the Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack University Medical Center, in New Jersey. About the PI: Jason Butler is an Associate Professor at the Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI), Hackensack University Medical Center. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Florida (2001-2005), under the supervision of Edward Scott. He then moved to New York as a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Shahin Rafii, at Weill Cornell, where he primarily studied the role of bone marrow endothelial cells in hematopoiesis (2006-2010). In 2011 he started his own research group at Weill Cornell, to further investigate how to modulate hematopoietic vascular niches in the context of embryonic development, aging and blood mali...