Speaker: Eric Pietras, associate professor, medicine-hematology in the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado

Title: “Targeting the inflammatory ‘fire triangle’ in clonal hematopoiesis and cancer”

Abstract: Clonal hematopoiesis CH is characterized by selective expansion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) harboring leukemia-associated mutations. Often associated with aging and other chronic inflammatory states, in addition to elevated risk of myeloid malignancy, CH leads to increased risk of a spectrum of non-malignant sequelae including cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Targeting the process by which CH HSPC are selected in the bone marrow could improve human health. Here, we will discuss the unique metabolic properties of CH HSPC and how targeting inflammation and the aberrant metabolic properties of CH HSPC can be leveraged to prevent and/or delay the pathogenic process leading to myeloid leukemia and other CH-associated diseases. We also discuss new findings linking CH to the progression of solid tissue malignancies, and the prospects for targeting the aberrant inflammatory metabolic properties in immune cells derived from CH HSPC as a potential therapy.

Host: Clyde Campbell, adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology