RNA and Stem Cell Biology

Our Research

Ribonucleic acid or RNA, one of life’s indispensable molecules, governs the flow of the genetic information within cells. Our laboratory focuses on new facets of gene expression control in stem and cancer cell at a molecular, cellular and organismal level. Using hematopoiesis as a model system to study stem cell function, we combine innovative genetic models with state-of-the-art genome-wide sequencing, mechanistic and structural approaches to investigate the function of RNA epigenetic modifications, noncoding RNAs and RNA binding proteins during development and tumorigenesis.

“Our mission is to uncover the molecular basis for how regulation of RNA modification and metabolism impact fundamental biological processes involved in development and cancer.”

Lab vision

The mechanisms that direct genetic information at the post-transcriptional level during development and tumorigenesis are still largely unresolved. We are fascinated by evidence that evolutionarily conserved RNA modifications, noncoding RNAs and RNA binding proteins provide new regulatory layers that control gene expression in space and time. We are excited about the opportunity to understand how RNA “specialization” impacts central molecular and cellular processes underlying fundamental questions in stem cell and cancer biology.

Aims

• To uncover the biological role of RNA epitranscriptomics in stem cells during normal and malignant hematopoiesis
• To determine the oncogenic programs driving aberrant mRNA splicing and translation in human cancers
• To unravel how small noncoding RNAs impact the stem cell proteome during embryogenesis and in disease

Impact

By uncovering novel regulatory pathways important for the function of stem and cancer cells, our work has broad implications within different strategic research areas including RNA and cancer biology, aging and regenerative medicine. The long-term goal is to translate our basic discoveries into novel therapeutic strategies for targeting key nodes of gene expression frequently altered in diseases associated with stem cell dysfunction and cancer.

List of Team Bellodi's publications

Team

(name linked to profile in Lund University research portal)

Cristian Bellodi

Principal Investigator, Cristian [dot] Bellodi [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Cristian[dot]Bellodi[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)

Mateusz Jez

Postdoc, Mateusz [dot] Jez [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Mateusz[dot]Jez[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)

Sowndarya Muthukumar

Postdoc, Sowndarya [dot] Muthukumar [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Sowndarya[dot]Muthukumar[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)

Alexandre Germanos

Postdoc, alexandre [dot] germanos [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se

Phuong Cao Thi Ngoc

Computational biologist, Phuong [dot] Cao_Thi_Ngoc [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Phuong[dot]Cao_Thi_Ngoc[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)

Magdalena Madej

PhD student, Magdalena [dot] Madej [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Magdalena[dot]Madej[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)

Silvia Tucciarone

Research Engineer, silvia [dot] tucciarone [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (silvia[dot]tucciarone[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)

Angelos Katsikas

Master's student, angelos [dot] katsikas [dot] 6511 [at] student [dot] lu [dot] se (angelos[dot]katsikas[dot]6511[at]student[dot]lu[dot]se)

Join us!

We are looking for talented students and postdocs to join our team. Please contact Cristian [dot] Bellodi [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (Cristian[dot]Bellodi[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)