Kidney Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Tubular Development, Repair And Turnover
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$989,141.00
Summary
In Australia, 11.3% of deaths are associated with chronic kidney disease with >$1 billion per annum spent on treating this condition. At present, only dialysis and transplantation are available to treat end stage kidney disease. We have found a kidney stem cell population in both human and mouse that can form new epithelial structures. In this project, we will investigate the normal role played by these kidney stem cells and examine whether they can contribute to kidney regeneration.
Kidney Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Tubular Development, Repair And Turnover.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Summary
In Australia, 11.3% of deaths are associated with chronic kidney disease with >$1 billion per annum spent on treating this condition. At present, only dialysis and transplantation are available to treat end stage kidney disease. We have found a kidney stem cell population in both human and mouse that can form new epithelial structures. In this project, we will investigate the normal role played by these kidney stem cells and examine whether they can contribute to kidney regeneration.
The Role Of Ap2a2 In Self-renewal Of Haematopoietic And Leukemic Stem Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$579,171.00
Summary
The daily replenishment of the blood system is dependent on the blood stem cell. A unique property of these stem cells is self-renewal where the stem cell function is preserved, whilst other daughter cells continue to divide. Our research investigates the molecular mechanisms that regulate stem cell self-renewal. This work has potential clinical application on at least two levels: expansion of stem cells for transplantation, and for attacking abnormal cancer cell self-renewal pathways.
Haematopoietic Stem Cells From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells: The Future Of Bone Marrow Transplantation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$763,845.00
Summary
Blood stem cell transplantation is a vital therapy for patients with leukaemia following chemotherapy or for patients with bone marrow failure. Because many patients lack a donor, there is a need for an alternate source of stem cells. My laboratory will make blood stem cells from human pluripotent stem cells that will treat patients needing a transplant and will be a useful research tool to help us to understand what goes wrong in the blood system in a range of illnesses.
Using Direct Reprogramming To Generate And Rejuvenate Haematopoietic Stem Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,026,313.00
Summary
One of the greatest promises of regenerative medicine lies in our ability to reprogram any cell type of the body into any other cell type. Transdifferentiation is the conversion of one adult cell type to another and it is believed to be the next frontier in regenerative medicine therapies since it can be used in vivo for the direct conversion of one cell type into another. The outcomes of this grant will push the limits of these technologies to generate new regenerative medicine strategies.
MIGRATORY CHARACTERISTICS OF SKIN-DERIVED NEURAL PRECURSORS AS A NOVEL REGENERATIVE THERAPY FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$46,945.00
Summary
Memory decline in Alzheimer's disease is linked to a massive loss of neurons and the connections between these cells. Stem cell therapy has the potential to combat this neuronal loss by replenishing the brain with healthy functional neurons. This study aims to develop a new type of neural stem-like cell, termed skin-derived neural precursors, which can be isolated from a patient’s own skin. The outcomes from this work will provide the necessary data for progress into human clinical trial.
Hematopoietic Transplants From Autologous Pluripotent Cell Sources
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Summary
This proposal investigates the utility of two types of patient-derived stem cells for transplantation into blood. These are induced pluripotent stem cells that are reprogrammed from specialized tissues such as skin cells, and stem cells derived using the genetic material of oocytes or sperm only ( one-parent embryos). Using the mouse, we are looking at the ability of these cells to form normal blood lineages after transplantation, and to repair blood in a mouse model for beta-thalassemia.
(Re)wiring A Stem Cell: Deciphering The Molecular Mechanism Underpinning Lineage Propensity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$855,780.00
Summary
This project explores the response of the stem cells to cues that direct how they turn into specific type of cells that is suitable for clinical use. Specifically, a set of driver genes whose activity can foretell the outcome of cell differentiation will be identified. By modulating the maintenance conditions, iPSCs lines may be tailored for specific applications in stem cell therapy and disease modelling for the assessment of treatment efficacy.
Reprogramming is the conversion of any cell into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). iPSC carry immense clinical potential as they are pluripotent and can hence form any cell of the human body, however, they can also form tumours. We have identified a cell type during reprogramming which is pluripotent but cannot form tumours. It is the aim of this project to determine the molecular differences between iPSC and this cell type in order to facilitate the delivery of cell replacement therapies.