Wade W. Sugden, PhD

Biomechanical forces play a role in shaping and sculpting biological tissues. My laboratory focuses on the development of the blood and vascular systems, paradigmatic tissues where hemodynamics and genetic programs act in tandem to pattern the vascular tree and direct the formation of hematopoietic stem cells from hemogenic endothelium. We pursue these questions primarily in the zebrafish Danio rerio, a genetically tractable vertebrate model in which vascular function and forces can be preserved while experimental and live imaging approaches are conducted. As part of the Hematopoiesis and Immunology Program at the Versiti Blood Research Institute, we benefit from a depth of hematology expertise and we leverage the highly collaborative environment at VBRI/MCW to translate these findings into human and murine models. I take a keen interest in the scientific training and career development of my team. Ongoing projects in the lab aim to decipher the suite of molecular changes induced by hemodynamics in hemogenic endothelium that are responsible for the successful production of hematopoietic stem cells by the endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition.