Korber Group: Somatic Evolution Research Group

Somatic stem cells sustain tissue homeostasis by tightly balancing self-renewal and differentiation into increasingly fate-restricted progenitor and precursor cells. As we age,  somatic tissues acquire variation, which can drive the selective expansion of stem and progenitor cell clones. These expanding clones perturb the balance between cell division and differentiation, and can lead to malignancy or tissue failure as we age. We are interested in a quantitative understanding of human differentiation cascades in healthy individuals, during aging and in malignant transformation. To this end, we leverage advanced mathematical modelling, multi-one next generation sequencing and functional validation in vivo. Our research focuses specifically on human hematopoiesis and the nervous system and, ultimately, aims to improve screening, disease monitoring and treatment of cancer.