Tsvee Lapidot

Tsvee Lapidot co-discovered leukemia-initiating stem cells with John Dick and subsequently elucidated the SDF-1/CXCR4 chemokine axis that governs both normal hematopoietic stem cell and leukemia stem cell homing to protective bone marrow niches, identifying a critical vulnerability exploitable to mobilize cancer stem cells from their protective environments. His work demonstrated that disrupting CXCR4 signaling with plerixafor forces quiescent leukemia stem cells out of their bone marrow niches into circulation, sensitizing them to chemotherapy. He has developed stem cell mobilization strategies now used clinically to enhance leukemia stem cell targeting in combination with conventional and targeted therapies.