Dr.Goichberg is a researcher with a strong interest in regenerative medicine and cell-based therapies. In the course of my career, I have acquired extensive expertise in the area of stem/progenitor cell mobilization and homing to the target organs. My findings on the mechanisms of SDF-1/CXCR4-mediated retention and egress of normal and leukemic hematopoietic progenitor cells have implications for bone marrow transplantation procedures in patients. Recently, I have identified a novel mechanism governing the translocation of human cardiac stem cells in the ischemic heart. I demonstrated that the ephrin A1/EphA2 cell guidance system directly controls cardiac stem cell motility. In animal models, stimulation of the ephrin A1/EphA2 signaling improved cell recruitment and heart recovery after infarction. At present, I am investigating the possibility that age-associated alterations in the ephrin A1/EphA2 pathway affect cardiac stem cell trafficking and regenerative capacity, contributing to the deterioration of myocardial function in the elderly. This work might be used to develop optimized approaches for stem cell activation and targeting for the treatment of aging myopathy.