LSBR grant for Catherine Robin

Blood stem cells are essential for lifelong blood production and immune function, but their clinical use is limited by donor scarcity and immune compatibility challenges. To meet the growing demand for blood stem cell transplants, researchers are working to generate these cells in the laboratory.

The Robin group has already uncovered key mechanisms behind how blood stem cells arise during embryonic development. “This grant means a great deal to me because it supports an exciting and promising project,” Robin says. “It will allow me to hire two new people in my group, which is always wonderful, as new team members bring fresh ideas, energy, and new interactions.”

Earlier findings from the Robin group shows that mouse gastruloids, 3D stem cell–derived models of early embryos, can induce the formation of blood stem cell precursors in a way that closely mimics embryonic development. This project now aims to establish gastruloids as an animal-free model to study blood stem cell development and enable scalable production of these cells. “This would allow scientists to study these cells without needing laboratory animals and could provide a new source of cells for therapies to treat patients with blood-related diseases.”