Dr Luke Harland

Position Governing Body Fellow Junior Research Fellow
School Biological Sciences Wellcome - MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute
Email ltgh2@cam.ac.uk
Department link

Luke TG Harland is a developmental biologist based at the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. Luke’s research programme investigates the inductive cues and transcriptional pathways that coordinate the formation of specific cellular identities during mammalian embryonic development.

Luke earned his BSc in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Western Ontario, where his passion for developmental and stem cell biology ignited through summer research projects at the McEwen Stem Cell Institute. These experiences fueled his aspiration for a career in biomedical research.

In 2020, as a Clarendon Scholar, Luke completed a Wellcome-funded DPhil in Chromosome and Developmental Biology at the University of Oxford under Professor Elizabeth J Robertson. His research identified a novel transcriptional regulator coordinating the formation of initial blood cells in the early mouse embryo. Post-DPhil, Luke spent a year as a Vertex Fellow at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, contributing to a multidisciplinary team dedicated to human disease modeling and drug discovery.

In 2022, Luke joined Professor Bertie Göttgens' research group at the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute as a Research Associate. Shortly after, he secured a five-year Wellcome Early-Career Award (2023-2028) to delve into the role of developmental history amid molecular convergence.

An active member of the International Society for Experimental Haematology, the International Society for Stem Cell Research, and the British Society for Developmental Biology, Luke became a Junior Research Fellow at �鶹��Ӿ�College in January 2024.

Luke employs advanced computational tools, genetic engineering, and stem cell models to explore crucial aspects of cell fate decisions in embryonic development. His focus lies in uncovering the molecular mechanisms, including inductive cues and transcriptional networks, that orchestrate the creation of specific cell lineages during embryogenesis. This knowledge is pivotal for developing technologies that convert pluripotent stem cells into specific cell types, benefiting drug discovery, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine.

Recent studies have unveiled that certain cell types with similar states emerge multiple times during embryonic development through different pathways. For instance, blood-forming endothelial cells called haemogenic endothelium (HE), arise through varied precursor embryonic tissues. The impact of alternative differentiation pathways on the properties of convergent cell types remains poorly understood.

To delve into the role of developmental history amidst molecular convergence, Luke's research focuses on unraveling the intrinsic and extrinsic regulatory networks guiding haemogenic endothelium differentiation. His project utilizes comprehensive single-cell spatial and suspension transcriptomic datasets as well as a robust embryonic stem cell differentiation model that Luke developed during his DPhil. Ultimately, his research aims to enhance our understanding of mechanisms governing cellular identity acquisition in embryogenesis, fostering the development of new technologies for regenerative medicine.

What's on

Event Type (field_event_type)

A small brown bird perches on a thin branch, its beak open as if singing, with a blurred green and yellow forest background.

Open Call: WolfWords Poetry Anthology 2025

02/12/2024 at 09.00

We are delighted to announce the open call for this year’s WolfWords anthology. The theme for this year’s collection is Voice.

WolfWorks: Writing with Clarity

13/03/2025 at 16.00

What does it mean to write with clarity? We hear pithy maxims about clear writing all the time: ‘Good writing is clear thinking made visible’, ‘Cut the jargon!’, ‘Never use two words when one will do’, ‘Don't’ hide the break in logic behind the Em dash!’

An abstract painting dominated by vibrant blue, featuring intricate white scribbles and textured drips of green, orange, and red, creating a layered and dynamic composition.

Art Exhibition: 'Feel the Rhythm'

15/03/2025 at 10.00

Visit Wolfson's latest exhibition 'Feel the Rhythm' featuring work by emerging artist Fungai Benhura, winner of the �鶹��Ӿ�Royal Academy Schools Graduate Prize.