Kusumbe Lab | Tissue and Tumor Microenvironments
WE ARE RECRUITING POSTDOCS.
Contact - Anjali Kusumbe (anjali.kusumbe@rdm.ox.ac.uk)
Understanding Vascular Changes & Vascular Diversity Over Time To Treat Diseases
Vascular & ImmUNE SYSTEM AGEING
Blood and lymphatic vessels form a versatile transport network. In addition to their conventional role as a transport system, vessels form niches for stem and progenitor cells and provide signals to maintain tissue functions. Vasculature also plays a fundamental role in supporting immune cell survival and transport. But how blood and lymphatic vessels change over time and how vascular ageing impacts the immune system, tissue and systemic ageing are not known. As opposed to the previously considered homogenous nature of vessels, recent evidence indicates the diversity of blood vessels across different tissues. Our previous work shows that the skeletal system harbours specialized blood vessels (type H vessels) that drives bone formation; however, these vessels decline in ageing, leading to loss of bone mass. Blood stem cells residing in bone give rise to immune cells. Ageing is associated with a decline in the immune system and tissue functions. We examine vascular diversity and vascular changes over time with the aim to identify therapeutic targets for ageing and immune system associated diseases. We exploit cutting-edge 3D and 4D imaging to understand vascular and immune cell interactions over time and across diverse tissue and tumour microenvironments.
Recruitment
Postdoc applicants
Doctoral scientists interested in joining the Kusumbe lab should contact Anjali. You should have published first-author paper/s.
Prospective students
Prospective PhD students or Master's students interested in our lab should first contact Anjali with their CV and their scientific interests to inquire.
KUSUMBE LAB ALUMNI
Junyu Chen (Postdoc):
Now - Associate Professor, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China
Charlotte Owen-Woods (Postdoc):
Now - Editor, Cell Press
Unnikrishnan Sivan (Postdoc):
Now - Assistant Professor, Indian Council of Medical Research Fellow, Cochin University, India
Alexandros Chatzis (Laboratory Technician):
Now - PhD student, University of York, UK
Sina Stucker (MSc Student):
Now - PhD student, University of Marburg, Germany
Joan Mane Pujol (Erasmus funded visiting undergraduate student):
Now - MSc student, University of Barcelona, Spain
Luciana Lippo (Research Assistant):
Now - Senior Scientist, Cignpost Diagnostics, UK