Date Time Researchers Find Ribosome Assembly Essential for Stem Cell Regeneration Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have identified genes responsible for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) regeneration via the assembly of the ribosome, the protein factories in cells that translate mRNA sequences into amino acid sequences. The findings, which were published in Cell Stem Cell, highlight the importance of proper ribosome assembly in stem cell regeneration and identify possible targets for future therapies for ribosomopathies, childhood disorders that lead to bone marrow failure (BMF). Wei Tong, PhD “Although previous research showed that mutations that affect ribosome assembly are associated with human diseases that involve bone marrow dysfunction, how ribosome assembly is regulated in hematopoietic stem cells and how it contributes to disease was poorly understood,” said Wei Tong, PhD, investigator and Professor of Pediatric Hematology at CHOP and senior author of the paper. “This study has identified the mechanism that prevents ribosomes from assembling properly in mammals, leading to insufficient hematopoietic stem cells, which could potentially be exploited in future therapeutic interventions.”