Description of Research Expertise

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
The Babushok Lab conducts basic and translational research to understand the fundamental mechanisms of how bone marrow can fail, how the failure of bone marrow can lead to pre-malignant genetic changes and myelodysplastic syndrome and leukemia, and what is the relationship between our immune system and the development of clonal hematopoiesis.

We use state-of-the-art genome analysis, molecular biology and immunogenetic analyses, as well as in vitro and in vivo models to study the mechanisms of immune-mediated marrow failure and the factors that lead to the development of clonal hematopoiesis in bone marrow failure and aging.

KEYWORDS:
Clonal hematopoiesis, bone marrow failure, aplastic anemia, PNH, malignant predisposition to MDS and leukemia

ROTATION PROJECTS:
We are always looking for talented individuals who are passionate about science. There are opportunities to contribute at every level, and we welcome inquiries from undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scientists, and medical students, residents, and fellows. Please contact Daria.Babushok at uphs.upenn.edu to discuss research opportunities.

SEE BABUSHOK LAB WEBSITE

LAB MEMBERS:
Kathy Guo – Research Specialist
Caitlin Ritz - Research Specialist
Natasha Stanley – Research Specialist

MEDICAL STUDENT RESEARCHERS:
Taylor Linaburg – Medical Student
Tristan Lim - Medical Student

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS:
Ben Frost
Jahnvi Patel

Selected Publications

Maxwell KN, Patel V, Nead KT, Merrill S, Clark D, Jiang Q, Wubbenhorst B, D'Andrea K, Cohen RB, Domchek SM, Morrissette JJD, Greenberg RA, Babushok DV, Nathanson KL: Fanconi anemia caused by biallelic inactivation of BRCA2 can present with an atypical cancer phenotype in adulthood Clin Genet 103 (1): 119-124,2023.

Shah YB, Lin P, Chen S, Zheng A, Alcaraz W, Towne MC, Gabriel C, Bhoj EJ, Lambert MP, Olson TS, Frank DM, Ellis CA, Babushok DV: Inherited bone marrow failure with macrothrombocytopenia due to germline tubulin beta class I (TUBB) variant Br J Haematol : 2022.

Olson TS, Frost BF, Duke JL, Dribus M, Xie HM, Prudowsky ZD, Furutani E, Gudera J, Shah YB, Ferriola D, Dinou A, Pagkrati I, Kim S, Xu Y, He M, Zheng S, Nijim S, Lin P, Xu C, Nakano T, Oved JH, Carreno BM, Bolon YT, Gadalla SM, Marsh SG, Paczesny S, Lee SJ, Monos DS, Shimamura A, Bertuch AA, Gragert L, Spellman S, Babushok DV: Pathogenicity and impact of HLA class I alleles in aplastic anemia patients of different ethnicities JCI Insight 11 : e163040,2022.

Freyer CW, Babushok DV, Frey NV, Gill SI, Loren AW, Luger SM, Maity A, Martin ME, Plastaras JP, Porter DL, Hexner EO: Low-Dose Total Body Irradiation Added to Fludarabine and Busulfan Reduced-Intensity Conditioning Reduces Graft Failure in Patients with Myelofibrosis Transplant Cell Ther. 28 (9): 590-596,2022.

Graveno ME, Carulli A, Freyer CW, Mangan BL, Nietupski R, Loren AW, Frey NV, Porter DL, Gill SI, Hexner EO, Luger SM, Martin ME, McCurdy SR, Perl AE, Babushok DV, Pratz KW.: Venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents or low dose cytarabine for relapsed and refractory acute myeloid leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 63 (7): 1645-1650,2022.

Matthews AH, Perl AE, Luger SM, Loren AW, Gill SI, Porter DL, Babushok DV, Maillard IP, Carroll MP, Frey NV, Hexner EO, Martin ME, McCurdy SR, Stadtmauer EA, Paralkar VR, Bruno XJ, Hwang WT, Margolis D, Pratz KW: Real-world effectiveness of CPX-351 vs venetoclax and azacitidine in acute myeloid leukemia Blood Adv. 6 (13): 3997-4005,2022.

Hatch RV, Freyer CW, Carulli A, Redline G, Babushok DV, Frey NV, Gill SI, Hexner EO, Luger SM, Martin ME, McCurdy SR, Perl AE, Porter DL, Pratz KW, Stadtmauer EA, Loren AW.: Day 4 vs. day 12 G-CSF administration following reduced intensity peripheral blood allogeneic stem cell transplant. J Oncol Pharm Pract 28 (892-897): 2022.

Pollard JA, Furutani E, Liu S, Esrick E, Cohen LE, Bledsoe J, Liu CW, Lu K, de Haro MJR, Surrallés J, Malsch M, Kuniholm A, Galvin A, Armant M, Kim AS, Ballotti K, Moreau L, Zhou Y, Babushok D, Boulad F, Carroll C, Hartung H, Hont A, Nakano T, Olson T, Sze SG, Thompson AA, Wlodarski MW, Gu X, Libermann TA, D'Andrea A, Grompe M, Weller E, Shimamura A.: Metformin for treatment of cytopenias in children and young adults with Fanconi anemia Blood Adv. 6 (12): 3803-3811,2022.

Wang X, Laczko D, Caponetti GC, Rabatin S, Babushok DV: Severe aplastic anaemia after serial vaccinations for SARS-CoV-2, pneumococcus and seasonal influenza EJHaem 4 (3): 983-8,2022.

Ghosh S, Roth J, Babushok D, Lim M.: Significance of RUNX1 mutation in BCR-ABL1 positive acute myeloid leukemia - a diagnostic dilemma in a young woman with persistent bleeding. Leuk Lymphoma. 63 (8): 1975-1979,2022.

View all publications

Academic Contact Information

Biomedical Research Building II/III, Room 808
421 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: 215-614-1847
Patient appointments: 800-789-7366