# Hematopoietic Stem Cell Aging

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · 2021 · $427,075

## Abstract

Project Summary
The maintenance of the hematopoietic system throughout adult life relies on the
persistence of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). With age, the ability of HSCs to self-
renew declines and the differentiation potential of HSCs is dysregulated. HSC aging is
thought to be a major cause of compromised maintenance of the hematopoietic system
in the aged animals. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying HSC aging
holds the promise to identify novel molecular targets to ameliorate age-related
deterioration in HSCs and to prevent bone marrow failure. Recent advances in HSC
biology highlight mitochondrial stress as a driver of HSC aging. Outstanding questions
remain unanswered. How does mitochondrial stress lead to functional deterioration of
HSCs? Is mitochondrial stress-induced physiological HSC aging reversible? Our
biochemical studies unravel a signaling pathway that regulates the mitochondrial stress
response. Using a collection of mouse models, we will elucidate the signaling events that
relay the mitochondrial stress to regulate HSC fate choices. We will also determine how
this process is dysregulated during the aging process. This application is significant
because it addresses an outstanding question of the SHINE program: what are the
regulatory factors governing aged HSC fate choices?

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10168523
- **Project number:** 5R01DK117481-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- **Principal Investigator:** DANICA CHEN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $427,075
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-05-01 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10168523

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10168523, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Aging (5R01DK117481-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10168523. Licensed CC0.

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