Research Faculty

George Daley, MD, PhD

 

Department Stem Cell Program
Hospital Title Director, Stem Cell Transplantation Program; Associate Director, Stem Cell Program
Academic Title Samuel E Lux IV Professor of Hematology/Oncology
Phone 617-919-2013
Fax 617-730-0222
Email George Daley
Location 300 Longwood Avenue
Karp-7
Boston MA 02115

Research Overview

The laboratory focuses on stem cell biology, with an emphasis on hematopoietic differentiation from human and mouse pluripotent stem cells, somatic cell reprogramming to model human blood diseases, and mechanisms of oncogenesis.

Specific research programs are described briefly below:

Directed differentiation of HSCs from pluripotent stem cells: We study hematopoietic development in mouse embryos and differentiating cultures of human and mouse pluripotent stem cells to define the molecular genetic programs that enable formation of HSCs in experimental and therapeutic models. Our long-term goal is improved transplantation therapies for genetic and malignant blood disorders.

Derivation of genetically defined pluripotent stem cells: We use nuclear transfer, parthenogenesis, and reprogramming with defined genes to model combined cell and gene therapy of human genetic disorders.

Mechanisms of oncogenesis: We have a long-standing interest in molecular mechanisms of leukemia induction by the BCR/ABL oncoprotein in human Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, the classic malignancy of hematopoietic stem cells. Recent studies in our lab have focused on the role of the Lin28A/B genes that are linked to a variety of cancer types.

About George Daley

Dr. Daley received a PhD in biology from MIT and an MD degree from Harvard Medical School through the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. He has been elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the American Association of Physicians, the American Pediatric Societies, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Daley was an inaugural winner of the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award for highly innovative research and has received the Judson Daland Prize from the American Philosophical Society for achievement in patient-oriented research, the E. Mead Johnson Award from the American Pediatric Society for contributions to stem cell research, and the E. Donnall Thomas Prize of the American Society for Hematology for advances in human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Key Publications

  • Park I-H, Zhao R, West JA, Yabuuchi A, Huo H, Ince TA, Lerou PH, Lensch MW, and Daley GQ. Reprogramming of human somatic cells to pluripotency with defined factors. Nature 2008 451(7175):141-6. Epub 2007 Dec 23.
  • Park I-H, Arora N, Huo H, Maherali N, Ahfeldt T, Shimamura A, Lensch MW, Cowan C, Hochedlinger K, Daley GQ. Disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cells. Cell 2008 online August 7 PMID: 18691744.
  • *Adamo L, *Naveiras O, McKinney-Freeman S, Mack PJ, Suchy-Dicey A, Yoshimoto M, Lensch MW, Yoder MC, #García-Cardeña G, #Daley GQ. Biomechanical forces promote embryonic hematopoiesis. Nature 2009 Jun 25;459(7250):1131-5.
  • West J, Viswanathan SR, Yabuuchi A, Takeuchi A, Cunniff K, Park IH, Sero JE, Perez-Atayde A, Frazier AL, Surani MA, Daley GQ. A role for Lin28 in germ cell development and germ cell malignancy. Nature 2009 460(7257):909-13.
  • Naveiras O, Nardi V, Wenzel PL, Hauschka PV, Fahey F, Daley GQ. Bone Marrow Adipocytes as Negative Regulators of the Hematopoietic Microenvironment. Nature 2009 Jul 9;460(7252):259-63.
  • Agarwal S, Loh Y-H, McLoughlin EM, Huang J, Park I-H, Miller JD, Huo H, Rosana Okuka M, Maria dos Reis RM, Loewer S, Ng, H-H, Keefe DL, Goldman FD, Klingelhutz AJ, Liu L, and Daley GQ. Telomere elongation in induced pluripotent stem cells from dyskeratosis congenita patients. Nature 2010 464(7286):292-6.
  • Kim K, Doi A, Wen B, Ng K, Zhao R, Cahan P, Kim J, Aryee MJ, Ji H, Ehrlich L, Yabuuchi A, Takeuchi A, Cunniff KC, Hongguang H, Mckinney-Freeman S, Naveiras O, Yoon TJ, Irizarry RA, Jung N, Seita J, Hanna J, Jaenisch R, Weissleder R, Orkin SH, Weissman IL, Feinberg AP, and Daley GQ. Epigenetic memory in induced pluripotent stem cells. Nature 2010 467(7313):285-90. Epub July 19. PMID: 20644535.
  • Zhu H, Shyh-Chang N, Segrè AV, Shinoda G, Shah SP, Einhorn WS, Takeuchi A, Engreitz JM, Hagan JP, Kharas MG, Urbach A, Thornton JE, Triboulet R, Gregory RI; DIAGRAM Consortium; MAGIC Investigators, Altshuler D, Daley GQ. The Lin28/let-7 axis regulates glucose metabolism. Cell. 2011 147; 81-94.
  • Onder TT, Kara N, Cherry ABC, Sinha AU, Zhu N, Bernt KM, Cahan P, Mancarci OB, Umternaehrer J, Gupta PB, Lander ES, Armstrong SA, Daley GQ. Chromatin modifying enzymes as¬¬ modulators of reprogramming. Nature 2012 online Mar 4.