Metabolic reprogramming of skeletal muscle stem cells
-
Research Project Leader
Professor Gordon Lynch+61 3 8344 0065
Project Details
One of the most important and unanswered questions in stem cell biology is how decisions regarding cell fate are regulated, specifically whether a cell undergoes self-renewal or commitment to a specific lineage. While the better part of the 20th century focused on the importance of cellular metabolism for the generation of energy, recent work has uncovered an essential role for metabolism in the generation of the building blocks (nucleotides, phospholipids, and amino acids) required by rapidly dividing cells.
Additionally, the metabolite balance of both stem and differentiated cells has been found to directly influence the epigenome through post-translational modifications of histones, DNA and transcription factors and therefore has important implications for stem cell lineage progression.
The overall goal of research into the link between metabolism and stem cell identity is to improve stem cell transplantation and regenerative medicine, nuclear reprogramming, transdifferentiation, and stable ex vivo expansion of stem cells.
This project will utilise cutting-edge single cell RNAseq techniques in collaboration with researches at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and will have broad application in the fields of regenerative medicine, synthetic biology and cellular agriculture
Researchers
Professor Gordon Lynch, Head of Laboratory
Associate Professor René Koopman, Head of Laboratory
Research Opportunities
This research project is available to Honours students to join as part of their thesis.
Please contact the Research Group Leader to discuss your options.