Christopher Sturgeon

Christopher Sturgeon, PhD is an Associate Professor in both the Department of Cell, Developmental & Regenerative Biology and the Department of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His research laboratory focuses on understanding embryonic hematopoietic development using human pluripotent stem cell models to uncover fundamental mechanisms of blood formation.

Dr. Sturgeon's educational background includes a BSc(H) from Carleton University, a PhD from the University of British Columbia, and postdoctoral training at the University of Toronto. His multidisciplinary expertise bridges developmental biology, stem cell research, and hematology.

His research investigates how transient developmental programs establish lifelong hematopoiesis, with particular focus on WNT and ACTIVIN signaling pathways in hematopoietic specification. Current work leverages pluripotent stem cell differentiation to model blood diseases, develop novel immunotherapies using natural killer cells, and understand the endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition. His lab has made significant contributions to understanding CDX4's role in definitive hematopoiesis and modeling dyskeratosis congenita.

Dr. Sturgeon's publication record includes 34 works with recent contributions spanning leukemia development, stem cell-derived blood cells, and blood cell ontogeny. His research demonstrates strong translational potential for regenerative medicine applications.

• 2016 Joanne Levy Award American Society of Hematology
• 2016 Scholar Award American Society of Hematology
• 2007 McEwen/McMurrich Regenerative Medicine Postdoctoral Fellowship
• 2005 Roman M. Babicki Scholarship
• 2003 NSERC PGS-B Scholarship
• 2001 NSERC PGA-A Scholarship

Dr. Sturgeon maintains an active research program through the Sturgeon Lab (sturgeonlab.com), focusing on disease modeling, adoptive immunotherapy development, and fundamental investigations of human hematopoietic development. His work bridges basic science with clinical applications in hematology and oncology.