Assistant Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery
Cells reside in specialized microenvironments or niches that profoundly influence cellular function. Therefore, elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern the interactions between the niche its cellular constituents is critical for understanding tissue development and function. Using a combination of in vivo mouse models and in vitro cell culture systems, our lab studies how low oxygen tension (hypoxia), in the bone microenvironment influences bone homeostasis, hematopoietic development, and metastatic bone colonization. Our ultimate goal is to develop novel therapeutic strategies to protect against aging associated disorders of the bone and to prevent metastatic dissemination to the bone.
Current Projects
- To determine how hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) signaling within the perivascular niche of the bone microenvironment contributes to mesenchymal stem cell fate determination and hematopoietic homeostasis.
- To determine how the dynamic hypoxic bone microenvironment influences adipogenesis to promote metastatic colonization of the bone.
Selected Publications & Grants
Publications
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Long, Jason T., Abigail Leinroth, Yihan Liao, Yinshi Ren, Anthony J. Mirando, Tuyet Nguyen, Wendi Guo, et al. “Hypertrophic chondrocytes serve as a reservoir for marrow-associated skeletal stem and progenitor cells, osteoblasts, and adipocytes during skeletal development.” Elife 11 (February 18, 2022). https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.76932.
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Guo, Wendi, Kassandra V. Spiller, Jackie Tang, Courtney M. Karner, Matthew J. Hilton, and Colleen Wu. “Hypoxia depletes contaminating CD45+ hematopoietic cells from murine bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) cultures: Methods for BMSC culture purification.” Stem Cell Res 53 (May 2021): 102317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scr.2021.102317.
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Guo, Wendi, and Colleen Wu. “Detection of Hypoxic Regions in the Bone Microenvironment.” Methods Mol Biol 2230 (2021): 345–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1028-2_20.
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Hu, Guoli, Yilin Yu, Yuning J. Tang, Colleen Wu, Fanxin Long, and Courtney M. Karner. “The Amino Acid Sensor Eif2ak4/GCN2 Is Required for Proliferation of Osteoblast Progenitors in Mice.” J Bone Miner Res 35, no. 10 (October 2020): 2004–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.4091.
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Hartzman, Maura, Amato Giaccia, and Colleen Wu. “Micro-environmental Features of the Bone and Bone Marrow Associated with Metastatic Colonization.” In Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 32:S313–S313. WILEY, 2017.
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LaGory, Edward L., Colleen Wu, Cullen M. Taniguchi, Chien-Kuang Cornelia Ding, Jen-Tsan Chi, Rie von Eyben, David A. Scott, Adam D. Richardson, and Amato J. Giaccia. “Suppression of PGC-1α Is Critical for Reprogramming Oxidative Metabolism in Renal Cell Carcinoma.” Cell Rep 12, no. 1 (July 7, 2015): 116–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2015.06.006.
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Wu, Colleen, Erinn B. Rankin, Laura Castellini, Javier Fernandez-Alcudia, Edward L. LaGory, Rebecca Andersen, Steven D. Rhodes, et al. “Oxygen-sensing PHDs regulate bone homeostasis through the modulation of osteoprotegerin.” Genes &Amp; Development 29, no. 8 (April 15, 2015): 817–31. https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.255000.114.
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LaGory, E. L., C. Wu, C. M. Taniguchi, C. K. Cornelia Ding, J. T. Chi, R. von Eyben, D. A. Scott, A. D. Richardson, and A. J. Giaccia. “Erratum to Suppression of PGC-1a Is Critical for Reprogramming Oxidative Metabolism in Renal Cell Carcinoma [Cell Reports, 12, 2015, 116-127].” Cell Reports 12, no. 4 (January 1, 2015): 717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2015.07.027.
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Wu, Colleen, Amato J. Giaccia, and Erinn B. Rankin. “Osteoblasts: a Novel Source of Erythropoietin.” Current Osteoporosis Reports 12, no. 4 (December 2014): 428–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11914-014-0236-x.
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Taniguchi, Cullen M., Yu Rebecca Miao, Anh N. Diep, Colleen Wu, Erinn B. Rankin, Todd F. Atwood, Lei Xing, and Amato J. Giaccia. “PHD Inhibition Mitigates and Protects Against Radiation-Induced Gastrointestinal Toxicity via HIF2.” Science Translational Medicine 6, no. 236 (May 14, 2014). https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.3008523.
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Taniguchi, Cullen M., Elizabeth C. Finger, Adam J. Krieg, Colleen Wu, Anh N. Diep, Edward L. LaGory, Kevin Wei, et al. “Cross-talk between hypoxia and insulin signaling through Phd3 regulates hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism and ameliorates diabetes.” Nature Medicine 19, no. 10 (October 2013): 1325–30. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3294.
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Rankin, E. B., C. Wu, R. Khatri, T. L. S. Wilson, R. Andersen, E. Araldi, A. L. Rankin, et al. “The HIF Signaling Pathway in Osteoblasts Directly Modulates Erythropoiesis through the Production of EPO.” Cell 149, no. 1 (March 2012): 63–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2012.01.051.
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Wu, Colleen, Saeid Amini-Nik, Puviindran Nadesan, William L. Stanford, and Benjamin A. Alman. “Aggressive fibromatosis (desmoid tumor) is derived from mesenchymal progenitor cells.” Cancer Res 70, no. 19 (October 1, 2010): 7690–98. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-10-1656.
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Wu, Colleen, and Benjamin A. Alman. “Side population cells in human cancers.” Cancer Lett 268, no. 1 (September 8, 2008): 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2008.03.048.
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Wu, Colleen, Jane Cipollone, Sarah Maines-Bandiera, Clara Tan, Aly Karsan, Nelly Auersperg, and Calvin D. Roskelley. “The morphogenic function of E-cadherin-mediated adherens junctions in epithelial ovarian carcinoma formation and progression.” Differentiation 76, no. 2 (February 2008): 193–205. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1432-0436.2007.00193.x.
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Wu, Colleen, Qingxia Wei, Velani Utomo, Puviindran Nadesan, Heather Whetstone, Rita Kandel, Jay S. Wunder, and Benjamin A. Alman. “Side population cells isolated from mesenchymal neoplasms have tumor initiating potential.” Cancer Res 67, no. 17 (September 1, 2007): 8216–22. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-0999.
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Schipani, Ernestina, Collen Wu, Erinn B. Rankin, and Amato J. Giaccia. “Regulation of Bone Marrow Angiogenesis by Osteoblasts during Bone Development and Homeostasis.” Frontiers in Endocrinology 4 (n.d.). https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2013.00085.
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Grants
- Medical Scientist Training Program (Preceptor), awarded by National Institutes of Health, administered by School of Medicine, 2022-2027 More info
- Training Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology (Mentor), awarded by National Institutes of Health, administered by Basic Science Departments, 2001-2027 More info
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program (Mentor), awarded by National Institutes of Health, administered by Basic Science Departments, 2021-2026 More info
- Pharmacological Sciences Training Grant (Preceptor), awarded by National Institutes of Health, administered by Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, 2020-2025 More info
- Targeting ABL kinases to regulate epithelial cell plasticity and regeneration following injury (Collaborator), awarded by National Institutes of Health, administered by Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, 2020-2024 More info
- Image-Guided Radiation Therapy System for Small Animals (Minor User), awarded by National Institutes of Health, administered by Radiation Oncology, 2021-2022 More info
- Medical Scientist Training Program (Mentor), awarded by National Institutes of Health, administered by School of Medicine, 1997-2022 More info
- Organization and Function of Cellular Structure (Mentor), awarded by National Institutes of Health, administered by Basic Science Departments, 1975-2020 More info
- Pharmacological Sciences Training Program (Participating Faculty Member), awarded by National Institutes of Health, administered by Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, 1975-2020 More info
Jobs
The Wu lab is seeking motivated graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and laboratory research assistants to join our lab. Individuals interested in becoming members of our research team should contact Colleen Wu directly.
Contact
Levine Science Research Center
450 Research Drive
Room B329
Durham, NC 27710
919.684.8263
colleen.wu@duke.edu