Dr. François Mercier
Assistant Professor - Department of Medicine
My particular focus is the study of the interactions between normal and malignant hematopoietic cells with their environment, the bone marrow. In the organism, blood stem cells grow in an environment characterized by specific physico-chemical gradients and cellular interactions, including immune recognition. Better understanding this bi-directional communication could lead to novel approaches to mobilize abnormal cells for more efficient elimination or enhance the regeneration of blood stem cells. In order to answer these research questions, we are using novel technologies such as CRISPR genome editing in vivo and single-cell RNA sequencing technologies.
1. Understanding the adaptations of leukemic cells to chemotherapy within their bone marrow niche.