Owen Tamplin

Owen Tamplin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, affiliated with the College of Engineering. His research focuses on hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology and their niche microenvironment.

• Research Interests: Mechanistic understanding of HSC-niche communication via paracrine signals, direct contact, and cellular material transfer; leveraging zebrafish and mouse models for live imaging and translational studies.

The Tamplin lab integrates genetic tools, live imaging, and chemical biology to track HSC interactions with niche cells. Recent work includes studies on neurotransmitter receptor signaling (GABBR1) in HSPC proliferation and aging effects on the HSC niche.

• Grants: 2024 Sequencing Pilot Program Award (UW Biotechnology Center, 10X Genomics, Illumina).

• Lab Members: Graduate students (Damola Elujoba-Bridenstine, Nicole Woodhead, Rebecca Schiavo, Cesi Deng) and alumni (Casey Ostheimer).

The lab’s publications highlight zebrafish as a model for HSC niche analysis and pharmacological strategies to enhance clinical HSC transplantation. This work bridges developmental biology, hematology, and biomedical engineering.