I am a stem cell scientist working on the biology of human embryonic stem cells and their differentiation into cells of mesodermal (blood, endothelium and cardiomyocyte) and endodermal (pancreatic islet cells) lineages.
A Virtual Map Of Haematopoiesis Using Cellular Barcoding
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$329,149.00
Summary
We have different types of infection-fighting white blood - the soliders of the immune system. They can all grow from a single stem cell like a seed grows into a tree. So, by understanding this complex process, new and better therapies for cancer, organ transplantation and infectious disease are constantly emerging. I aim to use a cutting-edge technology called ‘cellular barcoding’ to answer some of the age-old questions about how stem cells grow into white blood cells.
Bacterial Metabolite Mediated Regulation Of The Immune And Metabolic Systems
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$303,374.00
Summary
The cellular and molecular events that underpin metabolic syndrome diseases, such as diabetes, fatty liver, etc are poorly understood. However recent advances provide new clues. First, the immune system is intimately connected to metabolism. Second, the gut microbiota, and its metabolites such as acetate and butyrate are also important. These metabolites induce epigenetic changes in cells. We will study how metabolites induce molecular changes epigenetically, and how this controls metabolism.
Dendritic cells (DCs) are the body’s sentinels, with three specialized subtypes. They monitor for infections and cancer and then activate immune T cells to clear it. Interestingly, they can all arise from a single cell, but the precise steps are unknown. By literally filming this process and analyzing the movie, we hope to draw the ‘family trees’ that lead to their generation. This knowledge will offer crucial clues as to how to boost or reduce their numbers for medical applications.
The Molecular And Cellular Trajectories Of Clonal Dendritic Cell Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$826,742.00
Summary
Dendritic cells (DCs) are a blood cell type with a crucial role in our immune system. They are made in the bone marrow from stem and progenitor cells. How each of these cells individually makes DCs is complex and dynamic. We seek to understand this using cutting edge technologies to track each cell’s step-by-step role in this important process. This knowledge may help the use of DCs in the treatment of several diseases including autoimmunity and cancer.
The Transcriptional Control Of The Dendritic Cell Lineages
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$669,872.00
Summary
The immune system can discriminate between invading microorganisms and the body's own tissues. Dendritic cells are specialised to alert the immune system in the case of infection. In this project we aim to understand how dendritic cells are generated and how they function to control the immune response. We will achieve this aim by using state of the art genomic technologies to describe the genetic programme of dendritic cells. We hope that this knowledge will enable us to better harness the immu ....The immune system can discriminate between invading microorganisms and the body's own tissues. Dendritic cells are specialised to alert the immune system in the case of infection. In this project we aim to understand how dendritic cells are generated and how they function to control the immune response. We will achieve this aim by using state of the art genomic technologies to describe the genetic programme of dendritic cells. We hope that this knowledge will enable us to better harness the immune response in situations such as vaccination.Read moreRead less
Mapping The Steps And Deciphering The Mechanisms Crucial In Dendritic Cell Development.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$582,064.00
Summary
Dendritic cells (DCs) are a type of white blood that kick-start immune responses. There are various types of DCs that specialize in, for example, clearing viral, bacterial or fungal infections, and are even used to fight cancer. Understanding how DCs grow, therefore, has many clinical benefits. This project aims to understand these processes and identify new regulators of their growth using cutting edge technologies and strategies.
Transcriptional Regulation Of Specialized Subsets Of Dendritic Cells In Control Of Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$616,912.00
Summary
Immune protection against viruses and bacteria depends on specialized cells called dendritic cells that display components of the invading organisms on their surface. There are multiple different types of dendritic cell and each population plays a specialized role in defending the body against infection. Our work will provide the framework for directly targeting these cells for novel vaccines to re-program the immune system for clinical conditions such as cancer, allergy and autoimmunity.
Dendritic cells are a very rare type of white blood cell which play a critical role in the initiation of the immune response. They are of particular interest to scientists interested in vaccination, as for a vaccine to work effectively, the vaccine must be presented to the rest of the immune system by the dendritic cell. It has only recently become apparent that there are several types of dendritic cell, and these different types of dendritic cell vary in their ability to present a vaccine to th ....Dendritic cells are a very rare type of white blood cell which play a critical role in the initiation of the immune response. They are of particular interest to scientists interested in vaccination, as for a vaccine to work effectively, the vaccine must be presented to the rest of the immune system by the dendritic cell. It has only recently become apparent that there are several types of dendritic cell, and these different types of dendritic cell vary in their ability to present a vaccine to the immune system. We have already identified some proteins that are expressed on the surface of only one type of dendritic cell. We will explore the possible use of these proteins as a means of delivering a vaccine to only one type of dendritic cell. This project will also identify new genes that are expressed in some types of dendritic cells but not others. These new genes whose expression does differ amongst the dendritic cells are potential targets for manipulating the immune system and ensuring more efficient vaccination.Read moreRead less