Sanquin Research welcomes new PI in stem cell research
Dr. Cristina Pina (MD, DPhil) has recently joined Sanquin Research, bringing her expertise to the field of stem cell biology. She is one of the participants in the European consortium, MakingBlood, which is dedicated to cultivating blood stem cells in the lab. These stem cells, naturally residing in the bone marrow, serve as the continuous source for all our blood cells. The project officially took off on Juli 1, 2025.
Patients suffering from inherited blood diseases or those who develop leukemia often require donor stem cells for survival. However, finding matched donors isn't always possible. Cristina will be collaborating with Gerald de Haan's group at Sanquin to develop new methods and engineering tools for producing stem cells in the laboratory. The ultimate goal is to ensure that in the future, matching stem cells are readily available for all patients in need.
Leukemia expertise
Cristina brings a wealth of experience to Sanquin. After training as a medical doctor in Portugal, she was drawn into research and subsequently worked in the UK for over 20 years. Her previous work focused on leukemia in young children, which naturally intersected with the culturing of blood stem cells. The common thread in her research has been understanding the molecular signals these blood-forming cells need to emerge, expand, and function correctly in healthy individuals, and conversely, how these processes can go awry and lead to disease.
Cristina's research approach involves meticulously studying the entire development of stem cells from their very earliest stages. To facilitate this, she has developed a blood gastruloid model – a type of early-stage embryo, grown from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This model provides insights into the molecular mechanisms at play and how stem cells interact with both blood cells and neighboring cells. Cristina adds: "For each step, I also want to know how things can go wrong. And how to fix them, so we can develop new therapies for leukemia." She will also continue her leukemia research line here at Sanquin.
Why Sanquin?
Where better to conduct this type of crucial research than at a dedicated blood institute like Sanquin? Cristina will be relocating her research group from London over the next few months and will be joined by her family once the school term concludes. She was already familiar with Sanquin's researchers, initially through a past internship undertaken by Sanquin's PhD student Liza Dijkhuis at Cristina's lab in London, while Liza was studying in Groningen.
When asked about the difference, Cristina notes, "A lab is a lab, but the Dutch are more straightforward than the British. First, I had to get used to reading between the lines in the UK; now I have to be reprogrammed... I appreciate it!"
Learn More
Discover more about the stem cell research at Sanquin in this video, featuring Sanquin's Liza Dijkhuis and Suzanne van den Brink, who is now based in Barcelona but will also join Sanquin's stem cell researchers.