Effects of erythropoietin on megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitor cell fate

FUNDING: 10 weeks (full time, 2 weeks in York, 8 weeks in US, £4,000 stipend, accommodation costs contribution, flight and VISA costs covered)
Featured image for “Effects of erythropoietin on megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitor cell fate”
LOCATION: York, UK and US
SUPERVISOR(S):

Dr. Vanessa Scanlon, University of Conneticut, US and Prof. Ian Hitchcock, York, UK


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Erythropoietin and analogous erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) are regularly administered to correct anaemia in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease, however many patients experience a concomitant increase in platelet counts and blood pressure resulting in increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular events. Our previously published data demonstrates that erythropoietin enhances expansion of megakaryocytic-erythroid progenitor (MEP) cells, thus increasing the output of both erythroid lineage cells and platelet-producing megakaryocytes. Join our collaborative team and contribute to mechanistic studies that will inform the development of targeted ESAs to combat anaemia without the parallel increase in platelets. We are dedicated to fostering a welcoming and inclusive training environment and are located in the Stem Cell Center at the Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA with all of the state-of-the-art equipment and resources needed to facilitate the study. The successful student will spend the first two weeks of the project with collaborators in York, after which they will continue their studies at Yale. Students will be expected to present their findings orally at a research day in York in September 2024.