Engineering and Technologies
Using our tools for cellular transplantation, creating bioartificial structures to facilitate tissue repair and improving formulation of nutrient dense foods.
The Centre’s expertise in muscle development, muscle injury and regeneration include the study of MuSCs, engineered muscle tissues and viral vector technologies to manipulate gene function.
These tools have potential application for cellular transplantation; creating bioartificial structures to facilitate tissue repair; and even for the formulation of nutrient dense foods.
Viral vector technologies have the capacity to selectively overexpress or downregulate genes that manipulate muscle attributes like fibre size and metabolism, and also to engineer muscle to express circulating therapeutic agents. The use of muscle organoids, including three-dimensional multicellular structures formed from muscle stem cells, fat, nerve and connective tissue components, means they have potential application for restoring muscle function after trauma or surgeries, and even for the creation of meat-like foods of variable textures and flavours.
With researchers in Science, Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences and the School of Engineering collaborating on these studies, the theme capitalises on the University’s excellence across faculties.