Montefiore Einstein Department of Medicine
Department Faculty
Ulrich G. Steidl, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Professor, Department of Oncology (Medical Oncology)
Professor, Department of Medicine (Oncology & Hematology)
Rose C. Falkenstein Chair in Cancer Research
Deputy Director, and Associate Director for Basic Science, Albert Einstein Cancer Center
Interim Director, The Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research
The Diane and Arthur B. Belfer Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research
Co-Director, Blood Cancer Institute
Professional Interests
Molecular Mechanisms and Targeting of Pre-Cancerous and Cancer Stem Cells in Normal and Malignant Hematopoiesis
Hematopoiesis maintains a life-long supply of the entire spectrum of highly specialized blood cells dependent on systemic needs. This process relies on a tightly regulated balance of self-renewal, commitment, and differentiation of a small number of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSC).
Recent experimental evidence has shown that acute myeloid leukemias (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) arise from an unexepctedly diverse pool of pre-leukemic stem cells (pre-LSC), preceding the formation of fully transformed leukemia stem cells (LSC). Pre-LSC as well as LSC are characterized by a relative resistance to chemotherapy and thereby contribute to treatment failure. As a consequence, and despite the established use of poly-chemotherapy and the development of new agents that transiently reduce the tumor burden, relapse continues to be the most common cause of death in most subtypes of AML and MDS. Defining the molecular characteristics and mechanisms in pre-LSC and their progression to fully transformed LSC is critical to understanding the genesis of leukemia and to developing therapeutic strategies by which these processes can be targeted.
Recent findings from our own group and others have demonstrated a critical role of key transcriptional regulators, chromatin-remodeling factors, and mediators of aberrant signaling in the genesis and function of pre-LSC and LSC in AML and MDS in mouse and human model systems.
The goal of our research is to delineate critical mechanisms in HSC that drive formation and function of pre-LSC and LSC. To identify and functionally study implicated pathways we are utilizing rigorously defined stem and progenitor cell subsets isolated by means of multi-parameter high-speed fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Identified target genes are biochemically and functionally tested. We are studying murine genetic models as well as primary human samples from patients with MDS and leukemia. Our studies aim at the development of targeted, pre-LSC- and LSC-directed therapies, which could ultimately also be employed for precision prevention of relapse/progression, or "cancer interception".
Selected Publications
Selected recent publications (from a total of 152):
Primary Research Articles:
Wheat JC, Sella Y, Willcockson M, Skoultchi AI, Bergman A, Singer RH, Steidl U.
Single Molecule Imaging of Transcription Dynamics in Somatic Stem Cells.
Nature. 2020; 583:431-436
Chen J, Kao YR, Sun D, Todorova TI, Reynolds D, Narayanagari SR, Montagna C, Will B, Verma A*, Steidl U*.
Myelodysplastic Syndrome Progression to Acute Myeloid Leukemia at the Stem Cell Level.
Nat Med. 2019; 25:103-110
Mitchell K, Barreyro L, Todorova TI, Taylor SJ, Antony Debré I, Narayanagari SR, Carvajal LA, Leite J, Piperdi Z, Pendurti G, Mantzaris I, Paietta E, Verma A, Gritsman K, Steidl U.
IL1RAP Potentiates Multiple Oncogenic Signaling Pathways in AML.
J Exp Med. 2018; 215:1709-1727
Carvajal LA, Ben-Neriah D, Senecal A, Benard L, Thiruthuvanathan V, Yatsenko T, Narayanagari SR, Wheat JC, Todorova TI, Mitchell KM, Kenworthy C, Guerlavais V, Annis DA, Bartholdy B, Will B, Anampa JD, Mantzaris I, Aivado M, Singer RH, Coleman RA, Verma A, Steidl U.
Dual inhibition of MDMX and MDM2 as a Therapeutic Strategy in Leukemia.
Science Transl Med. 2018 Apr 11; 10:eaao3003
Antony-Debré I, Paul A, Leite J, Mitchell K, Kim HM, Carvajal LA, Tidorova TI, Huang K, Kumar A, Farahat AA, Bartholdy B, Narayanagari SR, Chen J, Ambesi-Impiombato A, Ferrando AA, Mantzaris I, Gavathiotis E, Verma A, Will B, Boykin DW, Wilson WD, Poon GMK, Steidl U.
Pharmacological Inhibition of the Transcription Factor PU.1 in Leukemia.
J Clin Invest. 2017; 127:4297-4313
Stanley RF*, Piszczatowski RT*, Bartholdy B, Mitchell K, McKimpson WM, Narayanagari SR, Walter D, Todorova TI, Hirsch C, Makishima H, Will B, McMahon C, Gritsman K, Maciejewski JP, Kitsis RN, Steidl U.
A Myeloid Tumor Suppressor Role for NOL3.
J Exp Med. 2017; 214:753-771
Okoye-Okafor UC, Bartholdy B, Cartier J, Gao EN, Pietrak B, Rendina AR, Rominger C, Quinn C, Smallwood A, Wiggall KJ, Reif AJ, Schmidt SJ, Qi H, Zhao H, Joberty G, Faelth-Savitski M, Bantscheff M, Drewes G, Duraiswami C, Brady P, Groy A, Narayanagari SR, Antony-Debre I, Mitchell K, Wang HR, Kao YR, Christopeit M, Carvajal L, Barreyro L, Paietta E, Makishima H, Will B, Concha N, Adams ND, Schwartz B, McCabe MT, Maciejewski J, Verma A, Steidl U.
New IDH1 Mutant Inhibitors for Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Nat Chem Biol. 2015; 11:878-886
Will B*, Vogler TO*, Narayanagari S, Bartholdy B, Todorova TI, da Silva Ferreira M, Chen J, Yu Y, Mayer J, Barreyro L, Carvajal L, Ben Neriah D, Roth M, van Oers J, Schaetzlein S, McMahon C, Edelmann W, Verma A, Steidl U.
Minimal PU.1 Reduction Induces a Preleukemic State and Promotes Development of Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Nat Med. 2015; 21:1172-1181
Pandolfi A*, Stanley RF*, Yu Y, Bartholdy B, Pendurti G, Gritsman K, Boultwood J, Chernoff J, Verma A, Steidl U.
PAK1 is a Therapeutic Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome.
Blood. 2015; 126:1118-27
Bartholdy B*, Christopeit M*, Will B, Mo Y, Barreyro L, Yu Y, Bhagat TD, Okoye-Okafor UC, Todorova TI, Greally JM, Levine RL, Melnick A, Verma A#, Steidl U#.
A human hematopoietic stem cell-commitment related DNA cytosine methylation signature is prognostic for overall survival in acute myeloid leukemia.
J Clin Invest. 2014; 124:1158-1167
Will B, Vogler TO, Bartholdy B, Garrett-Bakelman F, Mayer J, Barreyro L, Pandolfi A, Todorova TI, Okoye-Okafor UC, Stanley RF, Bhagat TD, Verma A, Figueroa ME, Melnick A, Roth M, Steidl U.
Special AT-rich Sequence-Binding Protein 1 (Satb1) regulates hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal by promoting quiescence and repressing differentiation commitment.
Nat Immunol. 2013; 14:437-45
Kawahara M*, Pandolfi A*, Bartholdy B*, Barreyro L, Will B, Roth M, Okoye-Okafor UC, Todorova TI, Figueroa ME, Melnick A, Mitsiades CS, Steidl U.
H2.0-like Homeobox (HLX) Regulates Early Hematopoiesis and Promotes Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Cancer Cell. 2012; 22:194–208
Will B, Zhou L, Vogler TO, Ben-Neriah S, Schinke C, Tamari R, Yu Y, Bhagat T, Bhattacharya S, Barreyro L, Heuck C, Mo Y, Parekh S, McMahon C, Pellagatti A, Boultwood J, Montagna C, Silverman L, Maciejewski J, Greally J, Ye BH, List A, Steidl C, Steidl U*, Verma A*.
Stem and progenitor cells in myelodysplastic syndromes show aberrant stage specific expansion and harbor genetic and epigenetic alterations.
Blood. 2012; 120:2076-2086
Barreyro L, Will B, Bartholdy B, Zhou L, Todorova TI, Stanley RF, Ben-Neriah S, Montagna C, Parekh S, Pellagatti A, Boultwood J, Paietta E, Ketterling RP, Cripe L, Fernandez HF, Greenberg PL, Tallman MS, Steidl C, Mitsiades CS, Verma A, Steidl U.
Overexpression of interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein in stem and progenitor cells and outcome correlation in AML and MDS.
Blood. 2012; 120:1290-1298
Roth M, Will B, Simkin G, Rao S, Barreyro L, Bartholdy B, Tamari R, Mitsiades CS, Verma A, Steidl U.
Eltrombopag inhibits the proliferation of leukemia cells via reduction of intracellular iron and induction of differentiation.
Blood. 2012; 120:386-394
Will B, Kawahara M, Luciano JP, Bruns I, Parekh S, Erickson-Miller CL, Aivado MA, Verma A, Steidl U.
Effect of the nonpeptide thrombopoetin receptor agnoist Eltrombopag on bone marrow cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.
Blood. 2009; 114:3899-3908
Review Articles and Commentaries:
Transcriptional circuit dynamics in HSPC.
Blood. 2021; 138:1382-1384
Blood Cancer Discov. 2021 May;2(3):201-215.
Fueling clonal dominance through TRAFficking of NF-kB signaling.
Nat Immunol. 2020; 21:489-490
Mitchell K, Steidl U.
Targeting Immunophenotypic Markers on Leukemic Stem Cells: How Lessons from Current Approaches and Advances in the Leukemia Stem Cell (LSC) Model Can Inform Better Strategies for Treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2020; 10:a036251
Piszczatowski RT, Steidl U.
Aurora Kinase A Inhibition: A Mega-Hit for Myelofibrosis Therapy?
Clin Cancer Res. 2019; 25:4868-4870
Chen J, Steidl U.
Inhibition of HIF1α Signaling: A Grand Slam for MDS Therapy ?
Cancer Discovery. 2018; 8:1355-1357
Wheat JC, Steidl U.
Linking histone methylation, transcription rates, and stem cell robustness.
Haematologica. 2018; 103:1093
Taylor SJ, Steidl U.
Metabolic strugGLS after FLT3 inhibition in AML.
Blood. 2018; 131:1631-1632
Wheat JC, Steidl U.
ETO2-GLIS2: A chimeric transcription factor drives leukemogenesis through a neomorphic transcription network.
Cancer Cell. 2017; 31:307-308
Shastri A, Will B, Steidl U*, Verma A*. Stem and Progenitor Cell Alterations in Myelodysplastic Syndromes.
Blood. 2017; 129:1586-1594
Carvajal L, Steidl U. Eliminating cancer stem cells in CML with combination transcriptional therapy.
Cell Stem Cell. 2016; 19:6-8
Stanley RF, Steidl U. Molecular mechanism of mutant CALR-mediated transformation.
Cancer Discovery. 2016; 6:344-346
Stanley RF, Steidl U. Ectopic Dnmt3b Expression Delays Leukemogenesis.
Blood. 2016; 127:1525-6
Antony-Debre I, Steidl U.
Functionally relevant RNA helicase mutations in familial and sporadic myeloid malignancies.
Cancer Cell. 2015; 27:609-611
Verma A, Steidl U.
A synthetic lethal approach targeting mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase in acute myeloid leukemia.
Nat Med. 2015;21:113-114
Will B, Steidl U.
Combinatorial haplo-deficient tumor suppression in 7q-deficient myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia.
Cancer Cell. 2014; 25:555-557
Will B, Steidl U.
Stem cell fate regulation by dynein motor protein Lis1.
Nat Genet. 2014; 46:217-218
Antony-Debre I, Steidl U.
CDK6, a new target in MLL-driven leukemia.
Blood. 2014; 124:5-6
Elias HK, Schinke C, Bhattacharyya S, Will B, Verma A, Steidl U.
Stem cell origin of myelodysplastic syndromes.
Oncogene. 2013 Dec 16. doi: 10.1038/onc.2013.520
Pandolfi A, Barreyro L, Steidl U.
Pre-leukemic stem cells: molecular biology and clinical implications of the precursors to leukemia stem cells.
Stem Cells Transl Med. 2013; 2:143–150
More Information About Dr. Ulrich Steidl
Steidl Lab, Departments of Cell Biology and of Medicine (Oncology), Division of Hemato-Oncology
Material in this section is provided by individual faculty members who are solely responsible for its accuracy and content.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Chanin Building, Room 601-605
Bronx, NY 10461
Fax: 718.430.8574
ulrich.steidl@einsteinmed.edu
In the News
Ulrich Steidl, M.D., Ph.D., talks about his NCI Outstanding Investigator Award and $7 million grant that will support his research on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia. Dr. Steidl is co-director of the Blood Cancer Institute and associate director of basic science at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and professor of cell biology and of medicine and the Diane and Arthur B. Belfer Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research at Einstein.
Professor Ulrich Steidl Describes Research As �A Team Sport�