DIGS-BB – Dresden International Graduate School for Biomedicine and Bioengineering / Research / Research Groups / Ben Wielockx

Ben Wielockx Group

Hypoxia pathway proteins in health and disease

All cells in our body depend on an appropriate oxygen pressure (pO2) to function. That’s why an inadequate oxygen supply (=hypoxia) is a prominent feature in various diseased tissues. During the past decade, research in our group is focused on unraveling the influence of hypoxia pathway proteins (HPP) in physiological and pathological conditions, including cancer, inflammation, and a variety of processes in the bone/bone marrow environment, especially hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) maintenance. In parallel, we are studying other fundamental questions related to HSC fate decisions as a consequence of external stress and in the context of the bone marrow niche.

Three graphics illustrating the current projects running in the Wielockx lab — Overview of the current projects running in the Wielockx lab

Future Projects and Goals

HPP and Bone Marrow. Defining the impact of HPP in blood vessel activity, and HSC/bone homeostasis.
HPP and Metastasis. Characterizing the role of HPP in disseminated cancer cells and stromal cells on colonizing and propagating during metastatic processes.
HPP and Wound Healing. Unraveling the influence of HPP on keratinocytes, blood vessels and leukocytes, during the different phases of wound healing.
HPP and adrenal gland. Identifying the effect of HPP in adrenal cortex, medulla, and beyond.

Methodological and Technical Expertise

Inflammatory mouse models
Hematopoiesis
Tumor biology
Mouse genetics

CV

since Feb 2020
University Professor
Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, TU Dresden

2014–2020
Heisenberg Professor (DFG)
Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, TU Dresden

2007–2013
Emmy Noether group leader (DFG), Inst. of Pathology, TU Dresden

2004–2007
Postdoc in the ECBP group, Inst. of Pathology, TU Dresden

2002–2004
Postdoc at the DMBR-VIB, Ghent, Belgium

2002
PhD in Biotechnology, Ghent University, Belgium

Selected Publications

Rauner M*, Murray M, Thiele S, Watts D, Neumann D, Gabet Y, Hofbauer LC, Wielockx B*
Epo/EpoR signaling in osteoprogenitor cells is essential for bone homeostasis and Epo-induced bone loss.
Bone Res. 13;9(1):42 (2021) (*corresponding authors).

Sormendi S, Deygas M, Sinha A, Bernard MLM, Krüger A, Koutzelis I, Le Lay GM, Sáez PJ, Gerlach M, Franke K, Meneses A, Kräter M, Palladini A, Guck J, Coskun Ü, Chavakis T, Vargas P*, Wielockx B*
HIF2α is a Direct Regulator of Neutrophil Motility.
Blood, 137(24):3416–3427 (2021)
(*equally contributed as last and corresponding authors)

Watts D, Stein J, Meneses A, Bechmann N, Neuwirth A, Kaden D, Krüger A, Sinha A, Alexaki VI, Luis Gustavo Perez-Rivas, Kircher S, Martinez A, Theodoropoulou M, Eisenhofer G, Peitzsch M, El-Armouche A, Chavakis T, Wielockx B
HIF1α is a Direct Regulator of Steroidogenesis in the Adrenal Gland.
Cell Mol Life Sci. 78(7):3577–3590 (2021)

Ramasz B, Krüger A, Reinhardt J, Sinha A, Gerlach M, Gerbaulet A, Reinhardt S, Dahl A, Chavakis T, Wielockx B*, Grinenko T*
Hematopoietic stem cell response to acute thrombocytopenia requires signaling through distinct receptor tyrosine kinases
Blood. 134(13):1046–1058 (2019) (*equally contributed as last and corresponding authors)

Grinenko T, Eugster A, Thielecke L, Ramasz B, Krüger A, Dietz S, Glauche I, Gerbaulet A, von Bonin M, Basak O, Clevers H, Chavakis T, Wielockx B
Hematopoietic stem cells can differentiate into restricted myeloid progenitors before cell division in mice
Nat Commun. 15;9(1):1898 (2018)

Contact

Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
Fiedlerstraße 42
01307 Dresden, Germany

E-mail: ben.wielockx@tu-dresden.de
Tel: +49–351–458–16260

PhD Spring Selection 2025

PhD Summer Selection 2025