Laboratory of Stem Cells, Tissue Development and Regeneration

Unveiling fundamental biological processes in adult stem cells regulation is important, since stem cells are not only required for physiological tissue or organ self-renewal but also play critical role during their regeneration after injury. Therefore understanding a precise regulation of adult stem cells homeostasis is very crucial since deregulation of stem cells self-renewal might result in organ failure or tumor formation. Thus, further discovery of the molecular factors tightly governing intrinsic balance of signaling pathways in stem cells is very important question in regenerative medicine and one of the goals of my laboratory. This knowledge might be very essential to understand a common mechanism of stem cells homeostasis and tissue regeneration and might be useful to adopt these basic discoveries to novel form of stem cell therapies in human. To address it, my laboratory will use independent skin stem cells from hair, sweat glands and nails as a model to decipher their molecular mechanism of regulation and their properties during skin, hair and limb/digit regeneration. Dissecting the underlying similarities and differences which occur during distinct skin appendages renewal may prove highly beneficial in unraveling the fundamental principles which govern tissue or organ regeneration in vivo.

Prof. Krzysztof Kobielak
email: k.kobielak@cent.uw.edu.pl
phone: +48 22 55 43731
room: 03.42

 

Education and scientific degrees:

1999 – Ph.D. in medical sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, K. Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Poznan,
Title of the thesis: “Molecular DNA Research in the Christ-Siemens-Touraine syndrome”. Under the supervision of: Professor Wiesław Henryk Trzeciak

1996 –  M.D., K. Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

2019 – Habilitation degree in Biological Science (Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw),
Habilitation thesis: “ The role of the BMP signaling and its effect on the WNT pathway in the regulation of stem cells and progenitor cells of the hair follicle ”.

2020 – Associate Professor, University of Warsaw

 

Professional background:

2020 – currently              Group Leader, Associate Professor, Laboratory of Stem Cells, Development and Tissue Regeneration, Centre of New Technologies (CeNT), The University                                                                  of Warsaw (UW), Warsaw, Poland

2015 – 2020                    Group Leader, Assistant Professor, Laboratory of Stem Cells, Development and Tissue Regeneration, Centre of New Technologies (CeNT), The University of Warsaw                                             (UW), Warsaw, Poland

11/2015                             currently Group Leader, Laboratory of Stem Cells, Development and Tissue Regeneration, Centre of New Technologies (CeNT), The University of Warsaw (UW),                                                     Warsaw, Poland

2007 – 2015                     Assistant Professor, Head of the Laboratory in The Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Research, Department of Pathology, Keck School of                                                             Medicine, the University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, USA

2002 – 2007                  Postdoctoral Associate, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University (RU), New York, USA

2000 – 2002                  Postdoctoral Associate, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

2000 – 2001                   Adjunct, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, K. Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

1997 – 2000                   Assistant, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, K. Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

1995-1997                      Research Assistant, Graduate Student, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

 

Honors and Awards

  1. Opienska-Blauth First Prize, best paper presented by a student, 31st Meeting of the Polish Biochemical Society, Warsaw, Poland, 1995

 

  1. Award from President of the Marcinkowski University for the best Ph.D. thesis, Poznan, Poland, 1999

 

  1. FEBS Scholarship for Young Researcher, 26th Meeting of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies, Nice, France, 1999

 

  1. Scholarship for Ph.D. Thesis founded by the State Committee for Scientific Research (KBM) (#4 P05B 063 13) for: Molecular analysis of DNA in Christ-Siemens-Touraine syndrome, 1999-2000

 

  1. FEBS Scholarship for Young Researcher, 18th International Congress of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Birmingham, UK, 2000

 

  1. Young Scholar Award, Foundation for Polish Science, Warsaw, Poland, 2000

 

  1. Mozolowski First Prize, best paper presented by a doctoral student, 36th Meeting of the Polish Biochemical Society, Poznan, Poland, 2000

 

  1. Project Leader (#4 P05 A 054 17) granted by the State Committee for Scientific Research (KBN) for: Anhydrotic ectodermal dysplasia as a model for differentiation of skin appendages, 2000-2001

 

  1. Award from Polish Minister of Health for best paper published in 2003, 2004

 

  1. Robert E and May R. Wright Foundation Award, 2009-2010

 

  1. Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Award, 2009-2010

 

  1. Robert S. Cleland Excellence in Teaching Award (presented by USC graduate students), 2010-2011

 

Major Areas of Research Interest

Adult Stem Cells

Stem Cells Microenvironment, Stem Cells Niche

Hair Follicle Stem Cells, Hair Regeneration

Nail Proximal Fold Stem Cells, Digit Regeneration

Sweat Gland Stem Cells, Skin Regeneration

 

Research Grants

Current:

OPUS, The National Science Center (NCN), K. Kobielak (PI) Deciphering single-cell niche composition and their effect on hair follicle and dermal papillae Stem Cells regulation during the hair regeneration cycle. 2023-2027
 
OPUS, The National Science Center (NCN), K. Kobielak (PI) Role of bifunctional nail proximal fold stem cells in digit regeneration. 2020-2024
 

Completed Research Support:

TEAM, The Foundation for Polish Science (FNP), K. Kobielak (PI) Reciprocal interaction between hair follicle Stem Cells and surrounding niche during skin and hair regeneration. 2018-2021

OPUS, The National Science Center (NCN), K. Kobielak (PI) Hair follicle stem cells regulation during hair cyclic regeneration. 2016-2019

R01, National Institutes of Health (NIH)/NIAMS, USA, K. Kobielak (PI) Activator – Inhibitor interactions in the cyclic regeneration of hair follicle. 2012-2017

R03, National Institutes of Health (NIH)/NIAMS, USA, K. Kobielak (PI) Isolation and characterization of new adult stem cells from sweat glands. 2011-2017

Baxter Foundation, K. Kobielak (PI) The role of BMP signaling in regulation of hair follicle stem cells. 2009-2010

Wright Foundation, K. Kobielak (PI) The role of niche microenvironment in initiation of tumor formation in skin after activation of hair follicle stem cell. 2009-2010

 

Selected publications:

Kobielak K#, Pasolli HA, Alonso L, Polak L, Fuchs E.  Defining BMP function in the hair follicle by conditional ablation of BMP receptor-1A.  J Cell Biol 163:609-623, 2003, article awarded with the journal cover, (U.S. Patent Application No.: US 2012/0034616 A1, Pub. Date: Feb. 9, 2012)

 

Kobielak K#, Stokes N, de la Cruz J, Polak L, Fuchs E.  Loss of a quiescent niche but not follicle stem cells in the absence of bone morphogenetic protein signaling. PNAS 104:10063-10068, 2007

 

Kandyba E, Leung Y, Chen YB, Widelitz R, Chuong CM, Kobielak K.*  Competitive balance of Intrabulge BMP/WNT signaling reveals a robust gene network ruling stem cell homeostasis and cyclic activation. PNAS 110(4):1351-6, 2013. (Faculty of 1000 Recommendation), (US Patent Application No.:US 2015/0033371 A1, Pub. Date: Jan. 29, 2015)

 

Kandyba E, Hazen V, Kobielak A, Butler J.S, Kobielak K.*  Smad1&5 but not Smad8 establish stem cell quiescence which is critical to transform the premature hair follicle during morphogenesis towards the postnatal state. Stem Cells. 32(2):534-47, 2014

 

Kandyba E, Kobielak K.*  Wnt7b is an important intrinsic regulator of hair follicle stem cell homeostasis and hair follicle cycling. Stem Cells. 32(4):886-901, 2014, (Faculty of 1000 Recommendation)

 

Leung Y, Kandyba E, Chen YB, Ruffins S, Chuong CM, Kobielak K.*  Bifunctional ectodermal stem cells around the nail display dual fate homeostasis and adaptive wounding response toward nail regeneration. PNAS 111(42):15114-9, 2014

 

Kobielak K.#*, Kandyba E, Leung Y. “Skin and Skin Appendages Regeneration” in Translational Regenerative Medicine, Academic Press, Chapter 22. Editor(s): Atala A, Allickson JG., pages:269-292, 2015, Book’s chapter/invited review article, Elsevier Publications

 

Leung Y, Kandyba E, Chen YB, Ruffins S, Kobielak K.*  Label-Retaining Cells (LRCs) with Myoepithelial characteristic from the Proximal Acinar Region define Stem Cells in Sweat Gland. PLOS ONE. 18;8(9):e74174, 2013

 

Kobielak K.* Nail. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine, 9th Edition. McGraw-Hill Education, New York, Chapter 8:106-115, ISBN-13: 978-0071837798, Editor(s): Kang S, Amagai M, Bruckner AL, Enk AH, Margolis DJ, McMichael AJ, Orringer J. Book’s chapter invited. 2019

 

# first author;  * corresponding author

 

Patents:

Fuchs E, Jamora C, Kaufman C and Kobielak K

Methods for modulating epithelial stem cell lineage

U.S. Patent Application No. 12/894,720, filed Sep.30, 2010 (Pub. No.: US 2012/0034616 A1, Pub. Date: Feb. 9, 2012)

 

Kobielak K and Kandyba E

Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Methods of Use.  U.S. Patent Application No.61/534 828 & 61/539 936 filed September 14&27, 2011 (Pub. No.: US 2015/0033371 A1, Pub. Date: Jan. 29, 2015)

 

Kobielak K

Sweat Gland-Derived Stem Cells and Methods of Use.  US Patent Application No. 61/051,422, filed September 17, 2014 (Pub. No.: US 2016/0075995 A1, Pub. Date: Mar. 17, 2016)

 

Membership in International and National Scientific Societies

 

The Society for Investigative Dermatology, 2009-present

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), 2009-present

North American Hair Research Society (NAHRS), 2013-present

The American Society for Cell Biology, 2008-present

The American Association for Cancer Research, 2009-2014

New York Academy of Science, 2002-2006

Polish Biochemical Society, 1997-2000

Polish Society of Human Genetics, 1997-2000

 


Group Leader:
Prof. Krzysztof Kobielak


Postdoctoral Fellow:
Anna Puławska - Czub, PhD

PhD students:
Ajay Jakhar, MSc
Konrad Łukaszyk, MSc
Paula Mazurek, MSc
Alicja Olczak, MSc

Students:

(M.Sc. Student) Szymon Ławicki

(M.Sc. Student) Karol Tchórz


Alumni:
Łukasz Boryń Ph.D., (Postdoc)
Agnieszka Kikulska Ph.D., (Postdoc)
Tomasz Pieczonka Ph.D., (Postdoc)
Patrycja Daszczuk Ph.D., (Ph.D. Student)
Karolina Amaro M.Sc. (M.Sc. Student)
Konrad Łukaszyk M.Sc., (M.Sc. Student)
Karol Tchórz Eng. (Undergraduate Student)
The Potential of Nail Mini-Organ Stem Cells in Skin, Nail and Digit Tips Regeneration.
Pulawska-Czub, A., Pieczonka, T. D., Mazurek, P., & Kobielak, K.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2021, 22(6), 2864.
Komórki macierzyste mini-organu paznokcia i ich udział w homeostazie, wzroście i regeneracji koniuszków palców u ssaków
Krzysztof Kobielak
Postępy i zagadnienia nauk medycznych i przyrodniczych, Bogucki Wydawnictwo Naukowe (rozdział w monografii), pp. 71-83 (ISBN 978-83-7986-373-0)
Mieszek włosowy jako doskonały model badawczy biologii komórek macierzystych
Krzysztof Kobielak
Postępy i zagadnienia nauk medycznych i przyrodniczych, Bogucki Wydawnictwo Naukowe (rozdział w monografii), pp. 61-71 (ISBN 978-83-7986-373-0)
Effect of Jersey cow defatted dry milk on salivary volume and composition in elderly persons : a pilot study
Tomasz D Pieczonka, Aneta M Bragiel-Pieczonka, Yuko Takeuchi, Shizuko Yanagisawa, Masami Yoshioka, Yasuko Ishikawa
The Journal of Medical Investigation, 68(3.4):280-285
An Intrinsic Oscillation of Gene Networks Inside Hair Follicle Stem Cells: An Additional Layer That Can Modulate Hair Stem Cell Activities
Daszczuk, P., Mazurek, P., Pieczonka, T. D., Olczak, A., Boryń, Ł. M., & Kobielak, K.
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2020, 8, 1511
Long-Term Oral Administration of LLHK, LHK, and HK Alters Gene Expression Profile and Restores Age-Dependent Atrophy and Dysfunction of Rat Salivary Glands
Ishikawa, Y., Pieczonka, T. D., Bragiel-Pieczonka, A. M., Seta, H., Ohkuri, T., Sasanuma, Y., & Nonaka, Y.
Biomedicines, 8(2), 38
Chapter 8: Nail
Kobielak K., 2019
Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine, 9th Edition, McGraw-Hill Education, New York, Chapter 8:106-115
Altered expression of GABA-A receptor subunits in the hippocampus of PTZ-kindled rats
Szyndler, J., Maciejak, P., Kołosowska, K., Chmielewska, N., Skórzewska, A., Daszczuk, P., & Płaźnik, A. (2018).
Pharmacological Reports, 70(1), 14-21.
1392 Activation of Id2 gene regulatory network ruling quiescence of hair follicle stem cells
Wang, X., Wang, G., Ramos, R., Wang, X., Daszczuk, P., Mazurek, P., . . . & Kobielak, K.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 138(5)
Stimulation of hair follicle stem cell proliferation through an IL-1 dependent activation of γδT-cells
Lee, P., Gund, R., Dutta, A., Pincha, N., Rana, I., Ghosh, S., Witherden, D.. Kandyba, E., MacLeod, A., Kobielak, K. M., Havran, W. L. (2017).
Elife, 6, e28875.
A multi-scale model for hair follicles reveals heterogeneous domains driving rapid spatiotemporal hair growth patterning
Wang, Q., Oh, J. W., Lee, H. L., Dhar, A., Peng, T., Ramos, R., ... & Le, J. (2017).
Elife, 6.