simply blood

Read the highlights from  Inhibitory effects of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and BNT162b2 vaccine on erythropoietin-induced globin gene expression in erythroid precursor cells from patients with β-thalassemia   by Lucia Carmela Cosenza, Giovanni Marzaro, Matteo Zurlo, Jessica Gasparello, Cristina Zuccato, Alessia Finotti, and Roberto Gambari In this issue of Simply Blood, we are highlighting a manuscript led by first author Lucia Carmela Cosenza conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Roberto Gambari at the Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. This is the first study to demonstrate that both the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein and BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine can inhibit fetal hemoglobin (HbF) production by and reduce γ-globin mRNA accumulation in β-thalassemic erythroid precursor cells (ErPCs). Despite widespread vaccination efforts, COVID-19 remains a global health challenge. Emerging research suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein may contribut...

  The ISEH 54th Annual Scientific Meeting Program is Here!  The ISEH 2025 program is now live. Publications Committee member Alessandro Donada recently sat down to have a chat with the 2025 Scientific Program Chair, Dr. Michael Milsom (German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), HI-STEM) , to discuss what cutting-edge science to expect in this year's program. From core experimental hematology topics such as developmental hematology, hematopoietic stem and progenitor biology, to current trends surrounding aging and stress hematopoiesis, the ISEH 2025 program will showcase all aspects of experimental hematology.  Watch the chat with Dr. Milsom to learn more about what to expect in Kumamoto this September!  View the full Scientific Program   > Blog post contributed by Alessandro Donada, PhD (Bluesky: @ alessandrod onada.bsky.social )  of the ISEH Publications Committee.  Special thanks to Michael Milsom and the 2025 Scientific Program Committee ( Shannon Mc...

Welcome to the July edition of Simply Blood Preprint Watch! Whether you're reading this from the lab or taking a well-earned break, we’ve got you covered with 25 fresh preprints that span hematopoietic development, leukemogenesis, and the latest in tech development. This month, we’re especially excited to feature two community-submitted preprints — thank you for sharing your work with us! Keep them coming via https://www.iseh.org/Preprints or by emailing us at info@iseh.org .  We also had the chance to discuss with Dr. Abdullah Khan , from the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Oxford UK, about his most recent preprint and an exciting approach to protocol sharing and optimization. Stay tuned for that conversation! From the Simply Blood Community: comBO: A combined human bone and lympho-myeloid bone marrow organoid for pre-clinical modelling of haematopoietic disorders https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.16.638505v1?rss=1 The authors present comBOs, a next-generation hum...

People often ask me what I like most about being a professor. While there are many rewarding aspects of being a PI, such as directing your own research program and training the next generation of scientists, I find travel to be the most enjoyable. This hasn’t always been the case. As a young adult, I dreaded travel and used to count down the number of days until I returned home. I think the change happened as a result of attending scientific conferences where I could learn the latest advances and meet others with similar interests. These days I attend many meetings to catch up with friends and hear the most recent breakthroughs in hematology research.   Most work related travel for trainees and early career investigators involves attending scientific conferences. These are important events that let you present your work, get helpful feedback, and extend your connections. Unfortunately, with decreases in funding and travel restrictions enacted by some institutions, in-person att...

This week on Simply Blood we are completing our 2025 Interview Spotlight Series. This final part features the ISEH 2025 Leadership in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award Winner:  Vanessa Scanlon, PhD.  Professor Scanlon discusses being an advocate in your day-to-day as a leader, her involvement in multiple summer research programs aimed at providing opportunities to students from underrepresented backgrounds, and advice for team leaders on fostering an inclusive environment.  Vanessa Scanlon, PhD Assistant Professor, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Skeletal Biology, UConn Health Assistant Professor Adjunct, Yale School of Medicine Blog post contributed by Gemma Kelly of the ISEH Junior Faculty Committee. Please note that the statements made by Simply Blood authors are their own views and not necessarily the views of ISEH. ISEH disclaims any or all liability arising from any author's statements or materials.

  Welcome to the Preprint Watch, where we highlight some of the latest and most interesting preprints for the ISEH community. In this issue, we’re highlighting preprints of note from June. If you'd like to submit your preprint, please complete this brief form.  STEM AND PROGENITOR CELLS BIOLOGY  Hematopoietic stem cells undergo bidirectional fate transitions in vivo https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.23.639689v2 From the authors: Sequential introduction of DNA barcodes in vivo was developed to assess time-dependent changes in cell fate. Clonal phylogenetic tracer (CP-tracer) enabled high-resolution phylogenetic analysis of ∼100,000 subclones derived from ∼500 individual hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Bidirectional fate transitions between myeloid-biased haematopoietic stem cells (My-HSCs) and lineage-balanced haematopoietic stem cells (balanced-HSCs) were observed. Hhex was identified as a molecular driver of HSC lymphoid competence. GATA2 Mediates Macrophag...