Newly funded project advances stem cell research by forging collaboration across disciplines and institutions

The new HSCI Junior Faculty Program investigators, pictured left to right: Ya-Chieh Hsu, Isaac Chiu, Jun Huh, and Judith Agudo.

The Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) Junior Faculty Program has awarded funding to investigators whose unique, complementary approaches hold great promise for improving the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The investigators are:

• Ya-Chieh Hsu, Ph.D. (Lead Investigator), Assistant Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University and HSCI Principal Faculty member;
• Isaac Chiu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunobiology at Harvard Medical School;
• Jun Huh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunobiology at Harvard Medical School; and
• Judith Agudo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and HSCI Affiliate Faculty member.

By exploring the interactions among stem cells, immune T cells, and gut microbiota, this group of researchers will gain unique insights into how stem cells respond to immune attack.

This new collaboration embodies the goals of the HSCI Junior Faculty Program: to leverage expertise across disciplines and institutions to advance knowledge and progress toward new treatments.

The investigators aim to advance the field of autoimmunity, and to inspire the broader HSCI community to explore new frontiers in stem cell biology.