Description:

The peripheral blood is composed of many different cell types which are constantly being replenished via hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). When young, thousands of hematopoietic stem cells residing in the bone marrow are simultaneously regenerating the blood. Over the past few years, high throughput sequencing has revealed that as we age, one or a few stem cells start dominating blood production, resulting in a condition termed “clonal hematopoiesis”, or “CH”. CH represents blood production from “immortal” stem cells that outcompete their normal counterparts. CH is driven by somatically acquired mutations in around 20 genes which confer a selective advantage over time. The gene encoding DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) is the most commonly mutated gene in CH, indicating that loss of its function confers longevity on the stem cell, even as it puts the host at risk for age-associated diseases such as leukemia. Dr. Goodell will discuss some of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive expansion of HSCs with DNMT3A and other CH-associated mutations.

Peggy Goodell, PhD
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Professor, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
Vivian L. Smith Chair in Regenerative Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine