Prof. Tsvee LAPIDOT (Israel)

Born in Jerusalem Israel, B.A, Hebrew U. 1983, M.Sc. Weizmann 1985, and Ph.D. on stem cell transplantation at Weizmann 1990. Postdoctoral research 1990-1994, Toronto, Canada with Prof. John Dick, establishment of functional preclinical models for both normal (Lapidot & Dick et al, Science 1992) and leukemic human stem cells (Lapidot & Dick et al, Nature 1994). in transplanted immune deficient mice. Associate Professor in 2001 and Professor in 2006. Over 100 refereed articles, reviews and book chapters. Focus on regulation of human stem cell migration and development, both normal and leukemic in functional pre-clinical models of immune deficient NOD/SCID mice. The cross talk between cytokines, chemokines, proteolytic enzymes and adhesion molecules in stem cell homing, retention, release and mobilization is currently studied. In particular the chemokine SDF-1 and its major receptor CXCR4 which are crucial for both human stem cell repopulation (Peled & Lapidot et al Science 1999), clinical mobilization (Petit & Lapidot et al Nature Immunology 2002) and the unique roles of bone resorbing osteoclasts in stem cell regulation (egress, recruitment and mobilization (Kollet & Lapidot et al Nature Medicine 2006, Shivtiel & Lapidot et al JEM 2008).
The dynamic cross talk between the nervous and immune systems with the microenvironment which regulate stem cells is intensively investigated (Spiegel & Lapidot et al, Nature Immunology 2007, Spiegel & Lapidot et al Cell Stem cell 2008).