[Sep. 17] D5 Seminar-Dr. Cristian Bellodi (University of Copenhagen, Denmark/Lund University, Sweden)

August 21 2025

The "D5 Medical & Life Science Seminar" course will be offered by International Research Center for Medical Sciences (IRCMS). It will run from May 2025 to March 2026, with lectures given by scientists who are affiliated with IRCMS or in collaboration with researchers at IRCMS. The lectures will be given once a month, in English, and by leading scientists in the relevant research field. Students will be taught: 1) how normal physiological functions are maintained in the human body; 2) how these systems become abnormal under certain pathophysiologic conditions; 3) why stem cells are important in animal development and homeostasis; 4) how stem cell-based approaches can help us understand disease mechanisms and find potential cure for diseases related to stem cell malfunction (e.g., cancer, aging).

Anyone who wants to join is welcome.
For students who have registered for the course, please check your attendance in Moodle.

Date      : September 17th, 2025 (Wednesday)
               

Format  : Online (zoom)

Time      : 16:00 - 17:00 (JST)
               

Speaker : Dr. Cristian Bellodi (University of Copenhagen, Denmark/Lund University, Sweden)
               

Title       : RNA pseudouridylation in development and disease

Abstract  :

 My laboratory investigates how pseudouridine--a conserved and widespread RNA modification--dynamically regulates genetic information during development and tumorigenesis. Focusing on the immune system, we integrate advanced genetic tools, high-throughput sequencing technologies, and biochemical approaches to explore epitranscriptomic pathways that shape cell identity and function in both normal and malignant hematopoiesis.

In this talk, I will present our pioneering work uncovering essential roles for two pseudouridine-modifying enzymes, PUS7 and PUS10, in regulating protein synthesis, hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal, differentiation, and leukemic transformation. I will also discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects, with particular emphasis on the epitranscriptomic regulation of a novel class of transfer RNA-derived small RNAs in controlling translation and maintaining genome stability--processes with broad implications for immune homeostasis and tumorigenesis.

2-3 Major Papers

1. Guzzi, N., Ciesla, M., Ngoc, P.C.T., Lang, S., Arora, S., Dimitriou, M., Pimkova, K., Sommarin, M.N.E., Munita, R., Lubas, M., et al. (2018). Pseudouridylation of tRNA-Derived Fragments Steers Translational Control in Stem Cells. Cell 173, 1204-1216 e1226. 10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.008.

2. Guzzi, N., Muthukumar, S., Ciesla, M., Todisco, G., Ngoc, P.C.T., Madej, M., Munita, R., Fazio, S., Ekstrom, S., Mortera-Blanco, T., et al. (2022). Pseudouridine-modified tRNA fragments repress aberrant protein synthesis and predict leukaemic progression in myelodysplastic syndrome. Nat Cell Biol 24, 299-306. 10.1038/s41556-022-00852-9.

 3. Madej, M., Ngoc, P.C.T., Muthukumar, S., Konturek-Ciesla, A., Tucciarone, S., Germanos, A., Ashworth, C., Kotarsky, K., Ghosh, S., Fan, Z., et al. (2025). PUS10-induced tRNA fragmentation impacts retrotransposon-driven inflammation. Cell Rep 44, 115735. 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115735.

Flyer: (Click to enlarge)