IRIC · Université de Montréal
The Sauvageau Lab investigates how hematopoietic stem cells renew themselves, how to expand them for the clinic, and how the genomics of acute myeloid leukemia can guide better therapies.
Research Program
Toward the ideal cord blood graft
We study the regulatory networks governing hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal and develop innovative strategies to expand these cells for clinical applications. As they age, HSCs gradually lose their lymphoid and regenerative potential. A major breakthrough from our lab was the discovery of the small molecule UM171 and its target KBTBD4, an E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in epigenetic remodeling.
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The Leucegene project
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a highly heterogeneous disease with limited therapeutic options. Our program leverages the Leucegene dataset — 691 primary AML specimens from the Quebec Leukemia Cell Bank — selected to capture the full genetic diversity of AML, to uncover novel anomalies and drug vulnerabilities.
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Advancing new treatments to the clinic
We aim to develop more effective treatments for aggressive cancers — including lung, pancreatic, and liver cancers — and advance them to clinical trials. We focus on two anti-cancer metabolic drugs that synergistically kill cancer cells, optimized with Dr. Anne Marinier’s Drug Discovery Unit at IRIC.
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About the Lab
The Sauvageau Lab is part of the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) at Université de Montréal. Our program elucidates the regulatory networks governing hematopoietic stem cell specification and self-renewal, and develops innovative strategies to expand these cells in culture for clinical purposes.
As part of the Leucegene project, we combine genomics, bioinformatics, medicinal chemistry, and molecular and cell biology to improve acute myeloid leukemia stratification and identify novel therapeutic strategies.
Meet the teamLatest News
The Stem Cell Network recognized Dr. Sauvageau with a 25 for 25 Silver Anniversary Trailblazer Award, honouring leaders who have addressed major challenges in regenerative medicine and translated discovery into real-world impact for patients. Awardees will be celebrated at the 2026 Till & McCulloch Meetings in Vancouver.
Real-world evidence published in Blood Advances shows UM171-expanded cord blood grafts outperform other graft sources, with more than 100 patients transplanted to date.
UM171-expanded graft data was packaged by ExCellThera, co-founded by Guy Sauvageau, to request accelerated approval in Europe for patients lacking a suitable donor.
We welcome inquiries from prospective students, postdoctoral fellows, and research partners who share our commitment to stem cell science.