Bruno Di Stefano, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Email

bruno.distefano@bcm.edu

Positions

Associate Professor: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Center for Cell and Gene Therapy (CAGT)
Baylor College of Medicine

Member: Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center (STaR)
Therapeutic Innovation Center (THINC)

Faculty Member: Graduate Program in Genetics & Genomics
Graduate Program in Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics
Baylor College of Medicine

Addresses

Office (Lab): One Baylor Plaza
N1020.01
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-7771

Lab (Office): One Baylor Plaza
N1020
Houston, TX, 77030
United States

Education

Postdoctoral Training at Harvard Medical School: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

PhD from Centre for Genomic Regulation and Pompeu Fabra University: 06/2014 - Barcelona, Spain

MSc from University of Pavia: Pavia, Italy

BSc from University of Pavia: Pavia, Italy

Professional Interests

Stem cell biology
Cellular reprogramming
Development
Post-transcriptional regulation
Cancer biology
Epigenetics and chromatin regulation

Professional Statement

During development and lineage specification, pluripotent and adult stem cells generate the diverse repertoire of specialized cell types that make up the body. Once cell identity is established, mechanisms that maintain and restrict cell fate are essential to preserve tissue integrity, and their disruption often leads to disease, including cancer.

Our research aims to elucidate how post-transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms regulate stem cell potency and lineage commitment across tissue types, with the broader goal of defining general principles of cell fate regulation. We also seek to harness these regulatory layers to develop novel therapeutic strategies.

To address these questions, our laboratory combines human and mouse embryonic stem cells, adult stem and progenitor cell cultures, 3D organoid systems, cellular reprogramming and transdifferentiation models, in vivo mouse studies, and advanced genome engineering approaches to systematically dissect the molecular logic underlying cell fate decisions.

Websites

Di Stefano Lab

Selected Publications

Di Stefano B, Luo EC, Haggerty C, Aigner S, Charlton J, Brumbaugh J, Ji F, Jiménez IR, Clowers KJ, Huebner AJ, Clement K, Lipchina I, de Kort MAC, Anselmo A, Pulice J, Gerli MFM, Gu H, Gygi SP, Sadreyev RI, Meissner A, Yeo GW, Hochedlinger K.. " The RNA helicase DDX6 controls cellular plasticity by modulating P-body homeostasis. " Cell Stem Cell. 2019 Nov 7;
Pubmed PMID: 31588046.
Di Stefano B. " Cell identity and plasticity uncoupled " Nature Cell Biology. 2022 Sep 8;
Pubmed PMID: 36075977.
Wang D, Wu W, Callen E, Pavani R, Zolnerowich N, Kodali S, Zong D, Wong N, Noriega S, Nathan WJ, Matos-Rodrigues G, Chari R, Kruhlak MJ, Livak F, Ward M, Caldecott K, Di Stefano B, Nussenzweig A.. " Active DNA demethylation promotes cell fate specification and the DNA damage response. " Science. 2022 Dec 2;
Pubmed PMID: 36454826.
Kodali S, Proietti L, Valcarcel G,..., Sardina JL, Grebien F, Di Stefano B.. " RNA sequestration in P-bodies sustains myeloid leukaemia " Nat Cell Biol. 2024 Oct ; 26 (10)
Pubmed PMID: 39169219.
Kodali S, Sands CM, Guo L, Huang Y, Di Stefano B.. " Biomolecular condensates in immune cell fate. " Nat Rev Immunol. 2025 Jan ;
Pubmed PMID: 39875604.
Levin-Ferreyra F, Kodali S, Cui Y, Pashos ARS, Pessina P, Brumbaugh J, Di Stefano B.. " Transposable element activity captures human pluripotent cell states " EMBO Reports. 2025 Jan ; 26 (2)
Pubmed PMID: 39668246.
Pessina P, Nevo M, Shi J,..., Di Stefano B. " Selective RNA sequestration in biomolecular condensates directs cell fate transitions. " Nature Biotechnology. 2025 Oct 28;
Pubmed PMID: 41152623.

Funding

Investigating Post-Transcriptional Mechanisms Governing Cancer Stem Cell Self-Renewal And Differentiation: (11/02/2020 - 07/31/2026); Grant funding from CPRIT

Defining the Role of RNA Sequestration in Mammalian Cell Fate. #R35GM147126-01: (08/01/2022 - 07/01/2027); NIH

Role of the RNA helices DDX6 in AML: (01/01/2024 - 12/31/2026); Worldwide Cancer Research Foundation

Elucidating the immune function of the RNA helicase DDX6. #R21AI193649: (09/01/2025 - 08/01/2027); NIH

Role of RNA sequestration in acute myeloid leukemia. #R01CA291649: (08/01/2025 - 08/01/2029); NIH

Targeting a post-transcriptional regulatory node in myeloid leukemia.: (04/01/2026 - 03/31/2030); ACS Scholar Research Grant