Dmitry Ovchinnikov

Molecular genetics of human pluripotent stem cells

Dmitry has a long record in molecular genetics, starting from some of the pioneering work on the mouse conditional genetics at the turn of the century, to more recent significant success with using the many forms of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to model normal development and disease in human pluripotent stem cells. In addition to that, Dmitry has a wealth of experience in generation and characterization of the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines not only from humans cells but also from many other mammals, including more exotic non-eutherian mammals. Using his expertise, the Core facility is expanding the range of offered services, and augment the comprehensive iPS generation and characterisation-related services with an extensive range of CRISPR/Cas9-enabled and other advanced genome-manipulation technologies. Those will include genome editing (including the generation of large deletions and seamless gene editing), as well as latest perivital genome visualization technologies.

Industry Engagement and Collaborations

​Dmitry holds an international patent on epigenetic screening for cancers, which is currently in negotiations with major clinical diagnotics companies

Patent: KITS AND METHODS FOR DIAGNOSIS, SCREENING, TREATMENT AND DISEASE MONITORING (WO2015048852)

​Dmitry is involved in collaborative projects with labs of Prof. Martin Pera, Patrick Tam, Justin Cooper-White and StemCARE UQ Centre

Funding

​NHMRC Project grant 2017-2019 (with CIs Tam, Wolvetang Cooper-White) (Re)wiring a stem cell: Deciphering the molecular mechanism underpinning lineage propensity

Key Publications

Journal Article: Generation of footprint-free induced pluripotent stem cells from human fibroblasts using episomal plasmid vectors Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A., Sun, Jane and Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2015) Generation of footprint-free induced pluripotent stem cells from human fibroblasts using episomal plasmid vectors. Methods in Molecular Biology, 1330 37-45. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2848-4_4

Journal Article: Variability of Gene Expression Identifies Transcriptional Regulators of Early Human Embryonic Development Hasegawa, Yu., Taylor, Deanne., Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A., Wolvetang, Ernst J., de Torrente, Laurence. and Mar, Jessica C. (2015) Variability of Gene Expression Identifies Transcriptional Regulators of Early Human Embryonic Development. PLoS Genetics, 11 8: . doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1005428

Journal Article: Transcribed enhancers lead waves of coordinated transcription in transitioning mammalian cells Arner, Erik, Beckhouse, Anthony, Briggs, James, Ovchinnikov, Dmitry, Wolvetang, Ernst, Wells, Christine and FANTOM Consortium (2015) Transcribed enhancers lead waves of coordinated transcription in transitioning mammalian cells. Science, 347 6225: 1010-1014. doi:10.1126/science.1259418

Journal Article: Opportunities and limitations of modelling Alzheimer’s disease with induced pluripotent stem cells Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A. and Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2014) Opportunities and limitations of modelling Alzheimer’s disease with induced pluripotent stem cells. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 3 4: 1357-1372. doi:10.3390/jcm3041357

Journal Article: Isolation of contractile cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiomyogenic cultures using a human NCX1-EGFP reporter Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A.,, Hidalgo, Alejandro, Yang, Seung-Kwon, Zhang, Xinli, Hudson, James, Mazzone, Stuart B., Chen, Chen, Cooper-White, Justin J. and Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2014) Isolation of contractile cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiomyogenic cultures using a human NCX1-EGFP reporter. Stem Cells and Development, 24 1: 11-20. doi:10.1089/scd.2014.019
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