Jana Hennelova
Academic and Work Experience Prior to Sept 2023 Programme Start
I obtained by Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences (Molecular Genetics) from The University of Edinburgh (UoE). Alongside my undergraduate studies, I undertook multiple internships which helped me develop skills in both computational and wet-lab techniques. In Dr Baranovic lab (UoE) I was focusing on improving the super-resolution imaging of AMPA receptors by using molecular dynamic simulations. During my placement in Loschmidt Laboratories (Czech Republic), I performed in silico screening to identify binders for the AHK4 receptor. Later, I was awarded the Gurdon Studentship award to conduct research in Dr Soufi lab (UoE) where I studied the role of Sox2 gene in pluripotency maintenance. For my Bachelor’s thesis, I joined Prof Kaji lab (UoE) where I was developing an in vitro disease model for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. After these experiences, I became passionate about stem cell & regenerative medicine and decided to pursue further research in this field during my PhD.
PhD Programme- Year 1- MRes and Project Rotations
My strong interest in diabetes mellitus motivated me to do my rotation projects in research groups that specialise on pancreas development and therapies for diabetes.
During my first rotation in the Sancho lab, I studied the impact of USP7 overexpression on the stabilisation of an endocrine progenitor marker NGN3 in HEK293T cell line. NGN3 stabilisation during in vitro beta-cell differentiation might enhance the differentiation efficiency and maturity of these cells.
During my second rotation in the Spagnoli lab, I investigated the spatiotemporal expression of a transcriptional repressor TGIF2 during mouse embryonic pancreas development. I also studied the role of TGIF2 in the regulation of the endocrine gene expression network using iPSC-derived endocrine progenitors.
During my third rotation supervised by Prof Aileen King, I studied the role of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in insulin secretion from primary mouse islets under endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. I also investigated the impact of ER stress on mitochondrial transfer from MSCs into mouse islets.
PhD Programme- Years 2 to 4 - Doctoral Studies
For my PhD, I decided to join Prof Aileen King’s lab to work on improving current therapies for T1DM which is a severe condition resulting from autoimmune destruction of islet insulin-producing beta-cells. Transplantation of stem cell-derived islets (SC-islets) is a promising strategy to restore insulin secretion in T1DM patients. Yet, the immaturity of SC-islets and their reduced functional survival due to external stressors, such as hypoxia and a pro-inflammatory environment, are major obstacles limiting the use of SC-islet transplantation in the clinic.
In my PhD project I will be studying the role of non-endocrine cells in the development and function of insulin-producing beta-cells. Specifically, I will investigate the role of MSCs in combating ER stress in islets, thus improving their functional survival. Moreover, I will study the putative role of Schwann cells during beta-cell development to improve the efficiency of in vitro SC-islet differentiation protocols. If successful, our research could lead to the improvement of in vitro SC-islet differentiation and their functional survival, thus advancing the field of SC-islet transplantation for T1DM treatment.
