Haematopoietic stem cell fate and bone marrow microenvironment changes in severe infection: cellular and molecular mechanisms

Severe malaria destroys the bone marrow’s hidden stem-cell nurseries, and this project will track exactly how that damage happens and whether it can be prevented. The bone marrow contains haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that replenish all blood and immune cells. During severe infections such as malaria, these stem cells lose function and the surrounding microenvironment—the niche that supports them—becomes disorganised. The mechanisms behind this collapse are poorly understood, and it is unclear whether the niche can fully regenerate after treatment, especially after repeated infections. This research uses a mouse model of severe malaria combined with advanced microscopy, molecular tools, and validation with human samples. The researcher will map how the niche degrades, measure how well it recovers after drug treatment, and test whether specific molecular interventions can protect the niche without shutting down the immune response. If successful, this work could inform strategies to preserve bone marrow function during severe infections—not just malaria, but other bloodstream infections that damage the stem-cell niche. That could improve recovery from sepsis, chemotherapy, or bone marrow transplantation, where niche health is critical but rarely targeted.