Huerga-Encabo Lab

General description

The Huerga-Encabo Laboratory investigates how clonal haematopoiesis emerges and evolves throughout life and how it shapes the immune response to environmental challenges. By studying the expansion of genetically altered blood cell clones, the team seeks to understand how age-related changes in the haematopoietic system influence immune function and disease susceptibility.

Their research aims to clarify how somatic mutations in hematopoietic stem cells alter immune cell development within the bone marrow and drive functional alterations in peripheral tissues. To address these questions, the group combines innovative experimental models with cutting-edge technologies, including humanised mouse systems, genome editing of primary human stem cells, high-dimensional flow cytometry and single-cell multiomics approaches. Their work integrates in vivo and ex vivo analyses with computational methods and close collaboration with clinical partners.

“The new normal is to be mutant” and, as the population ages, the group seeks to uncover the mechanisms linking clonal evolution to immune dysfunction throughout a person's life. Ultimately, this work aims to identify novel therapeutic targets and strategies to mitigate age-associated immune dysregulation.