Dr. Du's research is centered on pathophysiology of hematologic diseases such as bone marrow (BM) failure and leukemia. Dr. Du has a broad background in hematopoiesis, stem cell biology & aging, cellular metabolism and tumor microenvironment, with specific training and expertise in DNA damage response/repair, mouse modeling, metabolite profiling, and in vivo disease modeling. She has been investigating the mechanism of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilization and BM niche engraftment as well as the factors implicated in cell proliferation and apoptosis. She has identified functional interactions between certain factors implicated in cell polarity, adhesion/migration, stem cell metabolism and aging. These studies led to 55 peer-reviewed scientific papers in high-impact scientific journals, including Blood, JCI, Nat Communications, Leukemia and so on. Her current research interests include: 1) Define the molecular and functional collaboration between a major cell signaling (FA) pathway and immunometabolic regulation in HSCs; 2) Target stem cell-niche interaction for improved therapy for patients with bone marrow failure and leukemia; 3) Study a novel interplay between DDR and immune responses in FA leukemogenesis; 4) Study on the systemic immune effects of persistent DNA damage using mouse and human models of DNA repair deficiency and aging; and 5) Mechanistic and functional elucidation of the role of a novel paracrine Wnt5a-Prox1 signaling axis in regulating HSC regeneration under conditions of injury and aging.
- PhD, Tohoku University, School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
- MD, North China University of Science and Technology, China
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC)
- Fanconi Anemia Research Fund (FARF) Fellow
- NIH/NCI T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, EHCB, CCHMC
Education & Training
Lin, Q, Chatla, S, Amarachintha, S, Wilson, AF, Atale, N, Gao, ZJ, Joseph, J, Wolff, EV, Du, W. LepR+ niche cell-derived AREG compromises hematopoietic stem cell maintenance under conditions of DNA repair deficiency and aging. Blood; 10.1182/blood.2022018212. 2023
Lin, Q, Chatlas S, Chowdhury, F, Atale, N, Joseph, J, Du W. Hematopoietic stem cell regeneration through paracrine regulation of the Wnt5a/Prox1 signaling axis. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2022; 132(12): 155914.
Li, X, Chatla, S, Wilson AF, Atale N, Du, W. Persistent DNA damage and oncogenic stress-induced Trem1 promotes leukemia in mice. Haematologica. 2022; 107(11): 2576-2588.
Chatla, S, Lin, Q, Chowdhury, FA, Geldenhuys, W, Du, W. Quinacrine-CASIN combination overcomes chemoresistance in human acute lymphoid leukemia. Nature Communications. 2021; 12(1): 6936.
Lin, Q, Ma, Z, Chowdhury, FA, Mazumder, MHH, Du, W. Persistent DNA damage-induced NLRP12 improves hematopoietic stem cell function. Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight. 2020; 5(10): e133365.
Lin, Q, Ma, Z, Chowdhury, FA, Mazumder, MHH, Du, W. Mesenchymal PGD 2 activates an ILC2-Treg axis to promote proliferation of normal and malignant HSPCs. Leukemia. 2020; 34(11): 3028-3041.
Du, W, Liu, W, Mizukawa B,, Shang, X, Sipple, J, Wunderlich, M, Geiger, H, Davies, S, Mulloy, J, Pang, Q, Zheng, Y. A non-myeloablative conditioning approach for hematopoietic stem cell engraftment in mouse models. Leukemia. 2018; 32(9): 2041-2046.
Du, W, Amarachintha, S, Erden, O, Wilson, A, Pang, Q. The immune receptors Trem1 cooperates with diminished DNA damage response to induce preleukemic stem cell expansion. Leukemia. 2017; 31(2): 423-433.
Li, X, Sipple, J, Pang, Q, Du, W. Salidroside stimulates DNA repair enzyme Parp-1 activity in mouse HSC maintenance. Blood. 2012; 119(18): 4142-51.
Du, W, Rani, R, Sipple, J, Schick,J, Myers, KC, Mehta, P, Andreassen, PR, Davies, SM, Pang, Q. The FA pathway counteracts oxidative stress through selective protection of antioxidant defense gene promoters. Blood. 2012; 119(18): 4142-51.
- NIH T32 Postdoctoral Training Award, 2011-2013
- Health Science Center Faculty Research Award, 2018
- Leukemia Research Foundation (LRF) New Investigator Award, 2018
- Reviewer, NIH study sections & DOD review panels, 2020-Present
- Hillman Senior Fellow for Innovative Cancer Research, 2021-2022
- Children's Leukemia Research Association (CLRA) research award, 2023-2024
- Member, Scientific Committee on Hematopoiesis, ASH, 2025-2028
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) CDP Scholar Award, 2025-2030
- Hillman Career Acceleration Fellow for Innovative Cancer Research, 2025
- Editor, Blood Advances, 2026-2028
