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Hawkins Lab
Center for Regenerative Medicine
Boston University
The Hawkins Lab is interested in how the human lung is maintained and responds to injury. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer a unique opportunity to model human lung disease and bridge the gap between research in animal models and humans. Using this iPSC platform we are focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that control cell fate decisions and regenerative programs in the lungs. We hope to apply this knowledge to advance our understanding of and develop precision medicine approaches for lung disease. The lab has a particular focus on the airway epithelium and disease of the airways.
Latest publications:
2023: Airway regeneration via primary and iPSC derived basal cells in collaboration with the Kotton Lab: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37625411/
2022: iPSC platform for Cystic Fibrosis disease modeling: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31854-8
Check out or basal cell differentiation protocol here: https://star-protocols.cell.com/protocols/836
JOVE protocol for working with human iPSC-derived basal cells: https://www.jove.com/v/63882/generation-of-airway-epithelial-cell-airliquid-interface-cultures-from-human-pluripotent-stem-cells
Our 2021 Cell Stem Cell manuscript:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1934590920304926?via%3Dihub
Team
Finn Hawkins, PI
Finn is a PI in the Center or Regenerative Medicine (CReM) at Boston University and Boston University Medical Center. He is also a Pulmonary and Critical Care attending in the Pulmonary Dept. of Boston University. Originally from Ireland, Finn moved to the US in 2007 to complete internal medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN followed by fellowship in Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine at Boston University. During his fellowship he trained in Dr. Darrell Kotton's laboratory at a time when the derivation of lung lineages from iPSCs was in its infancy. This was the driving force that led Finn to pursue better models of human lung disease. Finn is the director of the Interstitial Lung Disease Clinic at. Boston Medical Center.
Andrew Berical, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Andrew is a physician-scientist in the Hawkins lab. He recently applied iPS cells to model drug responsiveness for specific cystic fibrosis causing mutations (see Nature Communications manuscript above). He grew up in New York but is a New England transplant now. Away from the lab, he enjoys spending time with his family! Check out the culmination of Andrew's work in the 2022 Nature Communications manuscript (above). In 2022, Andrew received a Harry Schwachman Clinical Investigator Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
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Jake Le Suer
Graduate student
Jake graduated Connecticut College in 2016 with a BA in biology and worked as a research assistant at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center prior to being accepted at BU. Outside of the lab Jake enjoys fishing, hiking, friends and family.
Taylor Matte
Graduate student
Taylor is a 3rd year PhD Candidate in the Hawkins Lab. In his thesis work, Taylor seeks to develop a roadmap of lung specification and development by identifying the genetic programs controlling lung state and fate using the iPSC platform. He also seeks to compare this roadmap of normal development to a roadmap of aberrant development by probing the transcriptomic and phenotypic changes associated with mutations in key lung transcription factor, NKX2-1. Outside of the lab, Taylor enjoys trivia, physical activity, and an ice-cold margarita in the sun
DJ Wallmann, MD
Pulmonary Research Fellow
DJ is a research fellow in the Hawkins Lab. Outside of the lab, he enjoys spending time with new son Mack, wife Kelly and dog Indiana while sneaking in soccer games and gardening when time permits
