Hematopoiesis is the lifelong process of blood formation that ensures a continuous and balanced supply of blood cells throughout an organism’s life.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are rare, multipotent cells equipped with the genetic and molecular machinery required for the sustained production of all blood cell lineages at precise quantities and frequencies. In the embryo, HSCs are generated through a complex, multi-stage developmental process, originating in the yolk sac, transitioning to the aorta–gonad–mesonephros (AGM) region, expanding in the fetal liver, and ultimately colonizing the bone marrow, where they maintain lifelong blood homeostasis.

HSC fate decisions—including self-renewal, proliferation, quiescence, and differentiation—are precisely governed by intrinsic signaling pathways, interactions with the local bone marrow microenvironment (niche), and systemic, long-range molecular cues. Perturbations in this tightly coordinated regulatory network, together with the progressive accumulation of genetic alterations and molecular damage within HSCs, can drive the onset and progression of diverse hematological disorders.

At SKAN Research Trust, we investigate the role of HSC dysfunction in the development of hematological conditions such as clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP), leukemia, and neuro-inflammatory disorders.

The primary goal of Hematopoietic Stem Cell research at SKAN is to elucidate the complex molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying disease initiation and progression, and to develop HSC-centered, targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing disease progression and improving clinical outcomes.