LAB RAT OF THE WEEK: Alex Vasic ’13

On weeknights, Alex Vasic ’13 can often be found in the lab, where he studies hematopoeitic stem cells, the cells responsible for maintenance of the blood and the immune system.

Hematopoeitic stem cells—HSCs for short—have a limited lifespan, and replacement cells must be steadily generated.

Specifically, Vasic studies these stem cells located in bone marrow in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Professor David T. Scadden’s stem cell laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital.

He analyzes how HSCs can be used in the treatment of illnesses such as leukemia and other diseases derived from the overproduction of blood cells.

When stem cells are not functioning properly, the possibility of an overproduction of a certain type of cells arises, and with it, the danger of leukemia. Treatment is targeted in the area of the marrow through traditional deterring methods like radiation, followed by a transplant of new cells, whose success is not guaranteed. In light of the risks associated with this kind of treatment, Vasic is working on ways to avoid using chemotherapy and employ small non-toxic cells instead.

When it comes to the controversies surrounding stem cell research, Vasic explains that in the case of his research, there are no moral implications. He uses adult stem cells, not embryonic cells, and adheres to the ethical standards of lab research.

Vasic, a Canadian from Toronto, is second generation Serbian. His parents’ origins have shaped and fueled his fascination with science, Vasic says, as well as his inclination to help those who lack opportunity to help themselves.Indeed, much of the motivation driving his study of stem cells derives from his family’s affinity for science.

With an engineer as a father, high expectations were part of the daily routine, he says.

But his particular research focus arose in high school, when he attended a few lectures on scientific innovations. One year, a talk was on the potential of using either stem cells or embryonic cells for research purposes.

Despite his long lab hours, Vasic has maintained a personal and social life. Winston S. Waters II ’13, a friend and entryway mate, says Vasic’s ability to maintain a positive work-social life balance.

“His stem cell research just adds another dimension to his complexity, his personality and his identity, in general,” Waters says.

Although Vasic suspects he will work with patients in the future, he says his research experience has allowed him to appreciate the potential of the science to improve medical treatment.