About
Copy Link
Titles
Assistant Professor
Biography
Bong-Ihn Koh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine and at the Yale Stem Cell Center. He began his research career in Dr. David Scadden’s laboratory as an undergraduate student at Harvard University. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2014 from Princeton University, where he studied the mammary gland stem cell microenvironment in Dr. Yibin Kang’s laboratory. His military service and passion for vascular biology led him to study the meningeal vascular response following severe head injury in Dr. Injune Kim’s laboratory at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. In 2020, he joined Dr. Ralf Adams' laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, where he made the surprising discovery that the skull bone marrow continues to grow throughout life and stays resilient against aging.
Bong-Ihn investigates specialized stem cell microenvironments, with a particular focus on vasculature, in various craniofacial bones to find novel cellular/molecular targets to drive stem cell fate. His lab utilizes state-of-the-art imaging methods and innovative functional assays to explore novel bone marrow niches and understand their distinct contribution to fundamental physiological processes, such as brain function, immunity, and regeneration. Bong-Ihn has presented his work as an invited speaker at major conferences, including the International Vascular Biology Meeting (IVBM), Gordon Research Conference (GRC) “Angiogenesis”, European School of Haematology (ESH) Workshop “Tumour Microenvironment”, European Vascular Biology Organization (EVBO) Seminars, European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO) Meeting, and European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Meeting.
Appointments
Comparative Medicine
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine (2025)
- Postdoctoral Fellow (in lieu of military service)
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (2020)
- PhD
- Princeton University, Molecular Biology (2014)
- MA
- New England Conservatory of Music, Cello Performance (2009)
- BA
- Harvard College, Biochemical Sciences (2008)
Research
Copy Link
Overview
The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment is a critical regulator of hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal and fate. Aging, chronic inflammation and other insults compromise bone marrow function, but our current knowledge of the heterogeneity of various bones and their BM compartments in terms of endothelial, stromal and hematopoietic cell composition, as well as their hematopoietic function, is fairly limited.
The human skull is composed of 8 cranial and 14 facial bones. Whether distinct BM compartments within these bones are molecularly, cellularly and functionally specialized to perform specific immunological roles in general physiology is unknown. Furthermore, little is known whether the local and systemic impact of various pathologies, such as aging, neurodegenerative diseases and leukemia, affects various craniofacial bones and their BM compartments in a similar or distinct manner.
The overarching goal of the Koh Lab is to determine how distinct craniofacial tissue microenvironments confer functional specialization in health and disease. Using state-of-the-art imaging, transcriptomics/proteomics, and innovative functional assays, we will characterize unique cellular compositions and dynamic intercellular crosstalk in various craniofacial bone marrow compartments and meningeal interfaces during development, homeostasis and pathophysiological conditions. This work has the great potential to fundamentally impact the way we think about bone marrow heterogeneity and cranial tissue-specific immunological/physiological functions. Key findings from the Koh Lab may thus lead to novel therapeutic strategies against bone marrow aging, neurodegenerative diseases and leukemia.
Medical Research Interests
ORCID
0000-0002-3636-0492
Research at a Glance
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Endothelial Cells
Skull
Bone Marrow
Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Stromal Cells
Blood Vessels
Publications
2025
Functional specialization of the calvarial bone marrow.
Koh BI, Adams R. Functional specialization of the calvarial bone marrow. Physiology (Bethesda) 2025 PMID: 41389063, DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00028.2025.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements
2024
Adult skull bone marrow is an expanding and resilient haematopoietic reservoir
Koh B, Mohanakrishnan V, Jeong H, Park H, Kruse K, Choi Y, Nieminen-Kelhä M, Kumar R, Pereira R, Adams S, Lee H, Bixel M, Vajkoczy P, Krause D, Adams R. Adult skull bone marrow is an expanding and resilient haematopoietic reservoir. Nature 2024, 636: 172-181. PMID: 39537918, PMCID: PMC11618084, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08163-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsBone marrow microenvironmentSkull bone marrowBone marrowMarrow microenvironmentHaematopoietic stem cell self-renewalBone marrow functionChronic myeloid leukemiaUpregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokinesBone marrow compartmentLoss of vascular integrityStem Cell Self-RenewalPro-inflammatory cytokinesCell Self-RenewalProperties of bone marrowMarrow functionMyeloid leukemiaMarrow compartmentChronic inflammationBone compartmentsMarrowSelf-RenewalPharmacological approachesVascular integrityClinical treatmentVascular growthApelin modulates inflammation and leukocyte recruitment in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Park H, Song J, Jeong H, Grönloh M, Koh B, Bovay E, Kim K, Klotz L, Thistlethwaite P, van Buul J, Sorokin L, Adams R. Apelin modulates inflammation and leukocyte recruitment in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 6282. PMID: 39060233, PMCID: PMC11282314, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50540-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsExperimental autoimmune encephalomyelitisAutoimmune encephalomyelitisEndothelial cellsLeukocyte recruitmentSeverity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitisAnimal modelsAnimal model of MSImmune cell entryAutoreactive T cellsCultured primary endothelial cellsMultiple sclerosisModel of MSMigration of immune cellsExpression of cell adhesion moleculesTransendothelial migrationFeatures of multiple sclerosisTransendothelial migration of immune cellsTrafficking of leukocytesCentral nervous systemPrimary endothelial cellsLung-brain axisCell adhesion moleculesT cellsImmune cellsApelin treatmentAngiogenesis is uncoupled from osteogenesis during calvarial bone regeneration
Bixel M, Sivaraj K, Timmen M, Mohanakrishnan V, Aravamudhan A, Adams S, Koh B, Jeong H, Kruse K, Stange R, Adams R. Angiogenesis is uncoupled from osteogenesis during calvarial bone regeneration. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 4575. PMID: 38834586, PMCID: PMC11150404, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48579-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsCalvarial bone regenerationFemoral fracturesVascular lesion sitesBone regenerationExpression of angiogenesisBlood flow alterationsStromal cell heterogeneityBone-forming osteoblastsHypoxia-related genesVascular sproutingPerfusion lesionOsteogenic cellsCalvarial bone repairVEGF signalingCell profilesCalvarial boneMSC heterogeneityIntravital multiphoton microscopyLesion siteRobust vascularityVascular growthMulticellular layersClinical implicationsBoneRemodeling results
2022
In vivo observation of multi‐phase spatiotemporal cellular dynamics of transplanted HSPCs during early engraftment
Ahn S, Koh B, Lee J, Hong S, Kim I, Kim P. In vivo observation of multi‐phase spatiotemporal cellular dynamics of transplanted HSPCs during early engraftment. FASEB BioAdvances 2022, 4: 547-559. PMID: 35949509, PMCID: PMC9353502, DOI: 10.1096/fba.2021-00164.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHematopoietic stem cell transplantationEarly engraftmentSystemic complicationsBone marrowHSPCs in vivoIn vivo observationsStem cell transplantationPhases of engraftmentCalvarial bone marrowEngraftment characteristicsCell transplantationSolid tumorsCellular phaseEngraftmentProgenitor cellsImmunological diseasesBlood disordersTransplantationCell proliferationStereotaxic deviceHSPCsComplicationsCellular dynamicsA specialized bone marrow microenvironment for fetal haematopoiesis
Liu Y, Chen Q, Jeong H, Koh B, Watson E, Xu C, Stehling M, Zhou B, Adams R. A specialized bone marrow microenvironment for fetal haematopoiesis. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 1327. PMID: 35288551, PMCID: PMC8921288, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28775-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsArtery endothelial cellsBone marrowLeptin receptor-expressing cellsAdult mammalian bone marrowPerivascular reticular cellsEndothelial cellsSpecialized bone marrow microenvironmentsBone marrow microenvironmentHaematopoietic stem cellsReceptor-expressing cellsVascular endothelial cellsFetal HSPCsMammalian bone marrowAdult BMBM nicheMarrow microenvironmentC-kit+HSPC expansionFetal developmentFetal haematopoiesisSingle cell RNA sequencingHaematopoietic stemProgenitor cellsMolecular regulationHSPCs1018 – HETEROGENEITY AND FUNCTIONAL SPECIALIZATION OF THE BONE MICROVASCULATURE
Adams R, Bixel M, Chen Q, Koh B, Liu Y, Sivaraj K. 1018 – HETEROGENEITY AND FUNCTIONAL SPECIALIZATION OF THE BONE MICROVASCULATURE. Experimental Hematology 2022, 111: s24. DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2022.07.021.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHematopoietic stem cellsBone formationHematopoietic stem cell functionHematopoietic stem cell nicheBone marrow transplantationLoss of bone massNotch signalingVascular growthEC subpopulationsHypoxia-inducible factor 1aEndothelial Notch signalingSkeletal systemControl bone formationMarrow transplantationLethal irradiationBone massAged miceAge-related changesPerivascular cellsStem cellsBlood flowBoneNotch pathwayBlood vesselsBone vasculature
2020
VEGFR2 signaling drives meningeal vascular regeneration upon head injury
Koh B, Lee H, Kwak P, Yang M, Kim J, Kim H, Koh G, Kim I. VEGFR2 signaling drives meningeal vascular regeneration upon head injury. Nature Communications 2020, 11: 3866. PMID: 32737287, PMCID: PMC7395111, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17545-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAdaptor Proteins, Signal TransducingAnimalsBlood VesselsCalcium-Binding ProteinsCerebrovascular CirculationCraniocerebral TraumaDisease Models, AnimalEndothelial CellsGene Expression RegulationHumansMacrophagesMeningesMiceMice, KnockoutNeovascularization, PhysiologicReceptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor betaReceptor, TIE-2RegenerationSignal TransductionVascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2Wound Healing
2017
Normal and cancerous mammary stem cells evade interferon-induced constraint through the miR-199a–LCOR axis
Celià-Terrassa T, Liu D, Choudhury A, Hang X, Wei Y, Zamalloa J, Alfaro-Aco R, Chakrabarti R, Jiang Y, Koh B, Smith H, DeCoste C, Li J, Shao Z, Kang Y. Normal and cancerous mammary stem cells evade interferon-induced constraint through the miR-199a–LCOR axis. Nature Cell Biology 2017, 19: 711-723. PMID: 28530657, PMCID: PMC5481166, DOI: 10.1038/ncb3533.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBreast NeoplasmsCell DifferentiationCell MovementCell ProliferationCell Self RenewalCell Transformation, NeoplasticFemaleGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHEK293 CellsHeLa CellsHumansInterferonsMammary Glands, AnimalMammary Glands, HumanMCF-7 CellsMice, Inbred C57BLMice, TransgenicMicroRNAsNeoplasm MetastasisNeoplastic Stem CellsPhenotypeRepressor ProteinsSignal TransductionTranscription FactorsTransfectionTumor MicroenvironmentConceptsCancer stem cellsMammary stem cellsStem cellsNormal adult tissue stem cellsMalignant stem-like cellsAssociated with poor clinical outcomesBreast cancer stem cellsStem cell-enriched populationStem cell-like propertiesMalignant stem cellsTumor-initiating cellsAdult tissue stem cellsPoor clinical outcomesStem cell propertiesSelf-renewal capacityStem-like cellsTissue stem cellsBreast tumorsClinical outcomesImmune cellsCell-intrinsicTumor initiationInterferonCytokine signalingTumorGeneration of PDGFRα+ Cardioblasts from Pluripotent Stem Cells
Hong S, Song S, Cho S, Lee S, Koh B, Bae H, Kim K, Park J, Do H, Im I, Heo H, Ko T, Park J, Youm J, Kim S, Kim I, Han J, Han Y, Koh G. Generation of PDGFRα+ Cardioblasts from Pluripotent Stem Cells. Scientific Reports 2017, 7: 41840. PMID: 28165490, PMCID: PMC5292955, DOI: 10.1038/srep41840.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPluripotent stem cellsCardiac regenerationStem cellsRho-associated coiled-coil kinase inhibitor Y27632Cardiac lineage cellsHuman pluripotent stem cellsCell implantationLineage-committedCyclosporin ALineage cellsInhibitor Y27632Mature cardiomyocytesProliferating cellsImmature stateCardiomyocytesAntioxidant TroloxNovel populationCellsCardioblasts
Get In Touch
Copy Link
Contacts
Locations
Amistad Street Building
Academic Office
10 Amistad Street
New Haven, CT 06519
Amistad Street Building
Lab
10 Amistad Street
New Haven, CT 06519