Home Department: Biology
Mentor: Irv Weissman (Pathology - Pathology Stem Cell Institute and Developmental Biology)

“Effects of Chemokine Receptor Inhibition on Aging Hematopoietic Stem Cells”

Leyla aims to investigate the effects of chemokine receptor inhibition on aging hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Chemokine receptors play a role in triggering inflammatory responses, and recent studies have shown that blocking specific receptors can reduce myelopoiesis (formation of myeloid cells) in bone marrow. By studying mice of different ages and using various techniques such as flow cytometry and transplantation, the team will analyze the impact of chemokine receptor inhibition on HSCs and the balance between myeloid and lymphoid cells. Understanding stem cell aging and the role of chemokine receptors has implications for disease treatment and our overall understanding of aging processes.