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<\/p>\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on” _builder_version=”4.16″ disabled=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_menu menu_id=”5″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_menu][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#000000″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_slider show_pagination=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”right” animation_duration=”800ms” auto=”on” auto_speed=”5000″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slide heading=”Bieker Laboratory” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.23)” use_text_overlay=”off” admin_title=”Bieker Laboratory” _builder_version=”4.16″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/biekerlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/252\/2019\/05\/slide2.png” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Bieker Laboratory” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.18)” use_text_overlay=”off” admin_title=”Bieker Laboratory” _builder_version=”4.16″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/biekerlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/252\/2019\/05\/slide2-copy-test.png” background_size=”contain” button_on_hover=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Bieker Laboratory” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” admin_title=”Bieker Laboratory” _builder_version=”4.16″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/biekerlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/252\/2019\/06\/erythr2.jpg” button_on_hover=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Bieker Laboratory” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.23)” use_text_overlay=”off” admin_title=”Bieker Laboratory” _builder_version=”4.16″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/biekerlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/252\/2019\/05\/slide3.png” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Bieker Laboratory” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.23)” use_text_overlay=”off” admin_title=”Bieker Laboratory” _builder_version=”4.16″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/biekerlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/252\/2019\/06\/erythr3.jpg” background_size=”contain” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”][\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ module_id=”research” module_class=”research-section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”research” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
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Delineating the molecular events that confer the ability to express lineage-specific genes upon an initially uncommitted, pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell remain major questions in cell differentiation.\u00a0 Use of an immortalized erythroid cell line as a means to isolate genes that may be important for erythroid function allowed us to identify a novel, erythroid-specific gene, which was named EKLF (erythroid Kr\u00fcppel-like factor).<\/p>\n
Biochemical, molecular, cellular, developmental, and genetic studies in mice and humans have established that EKLF is an essential component required for globin switching and completion of the definitive erythroid program. Disorders of hemoglobin expression can lead to a variety of hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell anemia and \u00df\u2013thalassemia (Cooley\u2019s anemia). As a result, our examination of EKLF\u2019s mechanism of action has illuminated how it regulates the globin locus, and has provided us with a way to reconstruct EKLF so that it can potentially rectify one type of hemoglobin disorder.<\/p>\n
Our discovery of EKLF has stimulated other investigators around the world to search for analogous genes that can work in a similar fashion to regulate unique targets in other tissues.\u00a0 EKLF is now the founding member (KLF1) of a family of eighteen proteins, some of which have been directly implicated in suppression of a specific subset of cancers.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ border_radii=”on|2px|2px|2px|2px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
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[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Name \/ Location” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Bieker Laboratory<\/strong> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ module_id=”projects” module_class=”projects-section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#eaf2f7″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Current Projects” module_id=”projects” module_class=”projects-section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n We are vigorously continuing the study of EKLF (KLF1) using a number of approaches, including biochemical and structure\/function analyses of the EKLF protein, identification of its protein partners, examining its ability to extrinsically control erythropoiesis, and monitoring how EKLF expression itself is so precisely regulated during development.<\/p>\n Our most recent studies are focused on a number of areas: [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/biekerlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/252\/2022\/09\/Biosketch_Bieker_2022.pdf” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”CV” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”14″ button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_bg_color=”#00aeef” button_border_width=”0″ button_border_radius=”2″ button_font=”Open Sans||||||||” button_use_icon=”off” background_layout=”dark” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_image src=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/biekerlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/252\/2020\/02\/retreat-slide.jpg” _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”60%” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_image][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ module_id=”publications” module_class=”publications-section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f7f7f7″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”publications” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Gnanapragasam MN, Jiang P, Dhara AR, Patel PN, Ramamoorthy M, Nowak RB, Fowler VM, Bieker JJ<\/strong>.\u00a0KLF1 coordinates specialized transcriptional networks required to maintain the integrity of terminal erythropoiesis.\u00a0<\/a>J Cell Sci<\/em>.\u00a02025 138<\/u>, jcs.264036.\u00a0[highlighted in\u00a0Hematopoiesis News<\/em>]<\/p>\n Xue L*, Mukherjee K*, Kelley KA, Bieker JJ.<\/strong>\u00a0Generation, characterization, and use of EKLF(Klf1)\/CRE knock-in mice for cell-restricted analyses. Frontiers in Hematology<\/em>.\u00a02024\u00a02<\/u>, 1292589. [*co-first authors] doi: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/frhem.2023.1292589<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n Chen X*, Pillay S*, Lohmann F, Bieker JJ.<\/strong>\u00a0Association of DDX5\/p68 protein with the upstream erythroid enhancer element (EHS1) of the gene encoding the KLF1 transcription factor.\u00a0<\/a>J Biol Chem<\/em>.<\/em>\u00a02023 299<\/u>, 105489.\u00a0[*co-first authors]<\/p>\n
James J. Bieker, Ph.D.<\/a>
Professor
Department of Cell, Developmental, & Regenerative Biology<\/a>
Black Family Stem Cell Institute<\/a>
Tisch Cancer Institute<\/a>
Mindich Child Health and Development Institute<\/a><\/p>\nCurrent Projects<\/h4>\n
one<\/strong>, a continuing analysis of EKLF protein\/protein interactions and how they result in altered transcriptional and epigenetic changes at target loci;
two<\/strong>, on how these controls converge to regulate late events in erythropoiesis, particularly enucleation;
three<\/strong>, on analysis of EKLF upstream regulators to help explain its exquisite tissue-restricted expression pattern, and to possibly link alteration of its expression level to aberrant red cell biology;
four<\/strong>, on functional and phenotypic analyses of a neonatal anemia mouse mutant (Nan<\/em>) that contains a mutation in one allele of EKLF;
finally<\/strong>, on determining the mechanism by which a human mutation in EKLF leads to congenital dyserythropoietic anemia.<\/p>\nSelected Recent Publications<\/h4>\n