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Stavroula Kousteni is a Professor at Columbia University, specifically engaged with the Columbia Stem Cell Initiative and the Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics. Her research mainly focuses on understanding the role of the stromal marrow niche in hematopoietic stem cell fate, with a particular emphasis on the development of myelodysplasia (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Kousteni's laboratory investigates how extrinsic factors triggered by the bone marrow stroma microenvironment influence the growth of disease-initiating stem cells in MDS and AML. This involves identifying the mechanisms by which lineage-specific osteoblasts interact with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to induce genetic alterations that transform these cells into malignant forms. Her research interests include the cross-talk between leukemia and mesenchymal stem cells, identifying novel markers in MDS/AML patients, and understanding the remodeling of mesenchymal stem cells that promote stem cell engraftment and proliferation. Kousteni integrates genomic and transcriptomic approaches to delve into the molecular events leading to the transformation of pre-MDS stem cells into malignant entities and explores therapeutic approaches targeting the pathways influenced by stroma cells during disease progression.
Department of Anthropology (GSAS)