Stem Cells and Developmental Biology

This theme addresses fundamental biological questions regarding cell identity, cell state and cell fate. Understanding cell differentiation and regulation underpins all stem cell research and applications.

	Transcriptomics and Neurogenetics - Dr Mike Clark Research focus: exploring expression and function of genes involved in neuropsychiatric disorders and applications of long-read Nanopore sequencing.
	Stem Cell Genetics - Professor Gary Hime Research focus: analysing genes that regulate stem cell maintenance and differentiation using genetic screening in Drosophila and conditional mouse knockout models.
	Enteric neuronal differentiation - Drs Marlene Hao and Lincon Stamp Research focus: investigation of factors directing enteric neuron subtype differentiation and their maintenance
	Neural development, injury and pain - Professor Janet Keast Research focus: determining how the pelvic nervous system develops, how it controls complex bodily functions and how it might be manipulated to provide clinical treatments.
	Sex Determination and Disorders of Sex Development - Dr Dagmar Wilhelm Research focus: exploring mechanisms of gene regulation that drive sex determination and gonad development as well as understanding the underlying causes of sex development disorders in humans.
	Reproductive Biology - Professor David Gardner Research focus: improving of techniques associated with reproductive biology through basic research at the cellular level.
	Human Evolution, Genomics and Stem Cells - Dr Irene Gallego Romero Research focus: exploring the ways in which natural selection and evolutionary change have shaped the human species, with a particular focus on gene regulatory processes.
	Evolution, Development and Reproduction in Mammals - Professor Andrew Pask Research focus: examining the development of the urogenital system in mammals and working on establishing stem cells from native Australian mammals.
	Kidney Development, Disease and Regeneration - Dr Sara Howden Research focus: generating of reporter lines to facilitate directed differentiation of kidney cells from human pluripotent stem cells.
	Stem Cell Technology - Professor Ed Stanley Research focus: using human pluripotent stem cells to understand diseases of the blood, endocrine and immune systems.
	Blood Cell Development - Professor Andrew Elefanty Research focus: using human pluripotent stem cells to understand the development of blood cells, endothelium and diseases of the blood system.
	Epigenetic Modification - Dr Marnie Blewitt Research focus: analysing the molecular mechanisms behind epigenetic silencing.
	Cancer Metabolism & Organogenesis - Dr Louise Cheng Research focus: identifying the genes that direct the behaviour of stem cells and differentiated cells in the developing nervous system.
	Professor Alastair Sloan Research focus: Regenerative Dentistry, specifically the potential therapeutic manipulation of the dental pulp stem cells.