Raffaele Renella

Raffaele Renella
EducationMedicine (MD)
MD-PhD
Alma materUniversity of Geneva
University of Oxford
Known forResearch on bone marrow failure
Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia
Gene therapy for hemoglobinopathies
AwardsLord Florey Scholarship (2005)
Scientific career
FieldsPediatric hematology and oncology
Hematopoiesis
Gene therapy
InstitutionsLausanne University Hospital (CHUV)
University of Lausanne (UNIL)
Boston Children's Hospital
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Thesis (2009)
Doctoral advisorWilliam G. Wood
Douglas R. Higgs
Other academic advisorsAlain Fischer
David A. Williams

Raffaele Renella is a Swiss pediatric hematologist and oncologist. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and the Head of the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit at the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV).[1] His research focuses on anomalies of hematopoietic stem cell differentiation, bone marrow failure, and the development of gene and cell therapies for inherited blood disorders.[2] In 2026, he was appointed as the vice-director of the Swiss NCCR "Children & Cancer" funded by the SNSF.[3]

Career

Renella obtained his Medical Degree (MD) from the University of Geneva. He completed his residency in pediatrics at the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV).[2] In 2004, he undertook specialized training in pediatric hematology, immunology, and stem cell transplantation at the Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades in Paris, working in the unit led by Alain Fischer.[4]

From 2005 to 2009, Renella pursued a PhD with William G. Wood and Douglas R. Higgs in Molecular Hematology at the University of Oxford (Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine). As a Lord Florey Scholar, he conducted research on congenital dyserythropoietic anemia.[5] During this period, he also served as an Honorary Specialist Registrar at the John Radcliffe Hospital.[6]

In 2010, Renella relocated to the United States for a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation at Boston Children's Hospital, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School.[7] He conducted postdoctoral research in the laboratory of David A. Williams.[8] From 2013 to 2014, he served as an Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and an Attending Staff Physician at Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber.[9]

Renella returned to Switzerland in 2015, assuming the role of Attending Physician-Consultant (Médecin-associé) and Head of the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory (LHOP) at CHUV.[2] In August 2023, he was appointed Head of the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit (Chef de service) at CHUV. Concurrently, he serves as the Pediatric Hematology Group Leader at the LHOP.[10] He holds board certifications from the Swiss Medical Association (FMH) in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (FRCPCH).[2]

In 2026, he was appointed as vice-director in the newly created National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) "Children & Cancer" project funded by the SNSF with a total funding of almost CHF 34 million over four years.[3]

Research

Renella leads a research group affiliated with the University of Lausanne and the Swiss Cancer Center Léman (SCCL).[11] His work investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying hematopoietic stem cell anomalies, with a focus on bone marrow failure, myelodysplastic syndromes,[12] and hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease.[13] His laboratory is involved in translational research aimed at developing gene and cell therapy approaches, including hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and CAR-T cell immunotherapies.[14][15] Renella has contributed to research on lineage-specific BCL11A knockdown strategies to reverse the sickle phenotype and has studied the genetic basis of congenital dyserythropoietic anemias.[16] He also participates in the development of clinical guidelines, such as consensus recommendations for managing iron deficiency in children.[17] He is a member of the Swiss Pediatric Oncology Group (SPOG)[18] and the European Hematology Association.[19] He serves on the Medical & Scientific Advisory Board at the European Sickle Cell Federation.[20]

Distinctions

Selected works

  • Renella, R.; et al. (2020). "Diagnosis and management of iron deficiency in children with or without anemia: consensus recommendations of the SPOG Pediatric Hematology Working Group". European Journal of Pediatrics. 179 (10): 1637–1646. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03597-5.
  • Brendel, C.; Renella, R.; et al. (2016). "Lineage-specific BCL11A knockdown circumvents toxicities and reverses sickle phenotype". Journal of Clinical Investigation. 126 (10): 3868–3878. doi:10.1172/JCI87323.
  • Renella, R.; et al. (2011). "Codanin-1 mutations in congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type 1 affect HP1alpha localization in erythroblasts". Blood. 117 (25): 6928–6935. doi:10.1182/blood-2010-11-316661.
  • Groschel, S.; Renella, R.; et al. (2023). "Highly connected 3D chromatin networks established by an oncogenic fusion protein shape tumor cell identity". Science Advances. 9 (15): eabq7232. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abq7232.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: article number as page number (link)
  • Renella, R.; et al. (2014). "Genetic deletion of the GATA1-regulated protein Alpha-Synuclein reduces oxidative stress and nitric oxide synthase levels in mature erythrocytes". American Journal of Hematology. 89 (7): 725–731. doi:10.1002/ajh.23722.

References

  1. ^ "Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Research Laboratory". UNIL. Retrieved 2026-02-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e "Pr Raffaele Renella". CHUV (in French). Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  3. ^ a b Swiss State Secretariat of Education, Research and Innovation SERI. "National Centre of Competence in Research "Children & Cancer"" (PDF). SBFI. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  4. ^ Renella, Raffaele; Picard, Capucine; Neven, Bénédicte; Ouachée‐Chardin, Marie; Casanova, Jean‐Laurent; Deist, Françoise Le; Cavazzana‐Calvo, Marina; Blanche, Stéphane; Fischer, Alain (2006-09-01). "Human leucocyte antigen‐identical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in major histocompatiblity complex class II immunodeficiency: reduced survival correlates with an increased incidence of acute graft‐ versus ‐host disease and pre‐existing viral infections". British Journal of Haematology. 134 (5): 510–516. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2141.2006.06213.x. ISSN 0007-1048.
  5. ^ Renella, Raffaele; Roberts, Nigel; Brown, Jill M; De Gobbi, Marco; Bird, Louise; Hassanali, Tasneem; Sloane-Stanley, Jacqueline; Sharpe, Jacqueline A; Cordell, Jacqueline Loelia; Ferguson, David J.P.; Buckle, Veronica; Higgs, Douglas R.; Wood, William G (2010-11-19). "Codanin-1 Mutations In Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemia Type 1 Affect HP1α Localization In Erythroblasts". Blood. 116 (21): 1003–1003. doi:10.1182/blood.V116.21.1003.1003. ISSN 0006-4971.
  6. ^ Renella, Raffaele; Wood, William G. (2009-04-01). "The Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemias". Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 23 (2): 283–306. doi:10.1016/j.hoc.2009.01.010.
  7. ^ "Potential gene therapy approach to sickle cell disease highlighted at national hematology meeting". www.dana-farber.org. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  8. ^ Renella, Raffaele; Schlehe, Julia S.; Selkoe, Dennis J.; Williams, David A.; LaVoie, Matthew J. (2014-10-01). "Genetic deletion of the GATA1‐regulated protein α‐synuclein reduces oxidative stress and nitric oxide synthase levels in mature erythrocytes". American Journal of Hematology. 89 (10): 974–977. doi:10.1002/ajh.23796. ISSN 0361-8609.
  9. ^ Marchese, Halle (2022-04-27). "A mystery launched a decade-long quest, leading to a novel cause of bone marrow failure". Institute for Protein Innovation. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  10. ^ "Laboratoire de recherche en hématologie-oncologie pédiatrique (LHOP) du CHUV". CHUV (in French). Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  11. ^ "Raffaele Renella Associate Professor - Pediatry - (UNIL)". applicationspub.unil.ch. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  12. ^ Renella, Raffaele; Gagne, Katelyn; Beauchamp, Ellen; Schlaeger, Thorsten; Hofmann, Inga; Shimamura, Akiko; Fogel, Jonathan; Agarwal, Suneet; Ebert, Benjamin L.; Markianos, Kyriacos; Springer, Timothy A.; Fleming, Mark D.; Williams, David A. (2018-11-29). "Congenital X-Linked Myelodysplasia with Tetraploidy Is Associated with De Novo Germline C-Terminal Mutation of SEPT6, a Septin Filament Protein". Blood. 132 (Supplement 1): 644–644. doi:10.1182/blood-2018-99-114682. ISSN 0006-4971.
  13. ^ Renella, Raffaele (2021-09-01). "Biomarkers for the central nervous system complications of sickle cell disease: are we there yet?". PROTEOMICS – Clinical Applications. 15 (5). doi:10.1002/prca.202100026. ISSN 1862-8346.
  14. ^ De Vita, Serena; Harris, Chad E; Renella, Raffaele; Mathieu, Ronald; McGuinness, Meaghan; Williams, David A. (2012-11-16). "Vav1 Deficiency Differentially Affects Engraftment of Fetal Hematopoietic Organs During Development Compared with Adult Marrow After Transplantation". Blood. 120 (21): 1212–1212. doi:10.1182/blood.V120.21.1212.1212. ISSN 0006-4971.
  15. ^ "Science". AAAS. doi:10.1126/sciadv.adu5754. PMC 12204177. PMID 40577481. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  16. ^ Brendel, Christian; Guda, Swaroopa; Renella, Raffaele; Bauer, Daniel E.; Canver, Matthew C.; Kim, Young-Jo; Heeney, Matthew M.; Klatt, Denise; Fogel, Jonathan; Milsom, Michael D.; Orkin, Stuart H.; Gregory, Richard I.; Williams, David A. (2016-10-03). "Lineage-specific BCL11A knockdown circumvents toxicities and reverses sickle phenotype". The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 126 (10): 3868–3878. doi:10.1172/JCI87885. ISSN 0021-9738.
  17. ^ Mattiello, Veneranda; Schmugge, Markus; Hengartner, Heinz; von der Weid, Nicolas; Renella, Raffaele; on behalf of the SPOG Pediatric Hematology Working Group (2020-04-01). "Diagnosis and management of iron deficiency in children with or without anemia: consensus recommendations of the SPOG Pediatric Hematology Working Group". European Journal of Pediatrics. 179 (4): 527–545. doi:10.1007/s00431-020-03597-5. ISSN 1432-1076.
  18. ^ "Jahresbericht 2020" (PDF). SPOG. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  19. ^ "Chairs and members". The European Hematology Association (EHA). Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  20. ^ a b "Medical & Scientific Advisory Board". escfederation.eu. Archived from the original on 2025-12-10. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  21. ^ "Outstanding Abstract Achievement Awards". www.hematology.org. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.