Lev Silberstein, MD, PhD

Assistant Member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Washington
Attending Hematologist, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Dr. Lev Silberstein is a physician-scientist who strives to understand how microenvironment-derived signals govern quiescence and self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). His research aims to translate this knowledge into therapeutic approaches which would boost mature blood cell output post-transplant and in bone marrow failure.

Originally from Novosibirsk, Russia, he completed post-graduate training in Internal Medicine and Hematology in London and Cambridge, UK. He developed a strong interest in hematopoietic stem cell biology during his PhD studies at the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Prof Bertie Gottgens. For his post-doctoral work, he joined the laboratory of Prof David Scadden at Harvard where he designed and validated a novel experimental platform – proximity-based single cell analysis of the niche – which enabled identification of several previously unrecognized regulators of HSC quiescence and self-renewal (Silberstein et al, Cell Stem Cell 2016). Of those, the discovery of secreted RNAse Angiogenin as a niche factor was particularly interesting, since it suggested that a class of small RNAs called tiRNA plays a role in HSC quiescence self-renewal (Goncalves, Silberstein et al, Cell 2016). Further, this work strengthened the emerging paradigm that HSC protection from proliferative stress promotes hematopoietic regeneration.

Dr. Silberstein is a recipient of several independent research awards. Most recently, he received a Translational Research Program Grant from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and the Andy Hill Cancer Research Endowment Award.

Dr. Silberstein has been a faculty member at Fred Hutch in the Clinical Research Division since October 2017. In addition to his research responsibilities, he is a practicing hematologist specializing in bone marrow failure and myelodysplasia, and attends a weekly out-patient clinic at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys, and playing chamber music.