UQ-StemCare Impact
Scientific Aims
Our Centre has the following scientific aims:
- Discover the intrinsic (stem cell autonomous) and extrinsic (non-stem cell autonomous) regulators of stem cell ageing within in vivo perivascular, muscle, skeletal and neural stem cell niches.
- Develop robust in vitro and in vivo models to interrogate the functional interactions between the intrinsic and extrinsic processes that result in ageing of stem cells and their niches in these tissues.
- Demonstrate that manipulating novel key regulators (whether cellular, matrix or systemically-derived) can maintain stem cell and tissue function with age.
- Translate the scientific results into clinical solutions with commercial potential.
UQ-StemCARE integrated research programs
We focus on investigating the three critical tissue stem cell niches responsible for the bulk of age-associated productivity loss in society:
- Perivascular - the niche that is present in all tissue stem cell niches (including neural and musculoskeletal), and specifically associated with age-related vascular diseases such as aterio-, arteriosclerosis
- Neural – a complex niche defined originally by UQ researchers and associated with age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Dementia
- Musculoskeletal – niches in muscle and bone are closely associated with the perivascular niche but are themselves separable and associated with age-related diseases such as muscle wasting, osteoporosis and osteo-arthritis
along with the system that connects them all, circulating cellular and soluble factors in the blood. This unique focus, coupled with our philosophy of viewing ageing as a ‘systems-wide’ stem cell phenomenon, will make this Centre distinct from any other national or global initiative aimed at understanding the ageing process.
UQ-StemCARE Facilities
It is UQ-StemCAREs central goal to understand the basic mechanisms of the ageing process and create highly innovative clinical solutions.
To achieve these goals, UQ-StemCARE will generate induced pluripotent stem cells from human and murine fibroblast cells across 100’s of donors of varying ages (young through to old) and genetically modify them using a commonly utilised genome editing technique (CRISPR) to probe possible mechanisms and drivers of ageing.
Such a massive task is impossible to achieve without the assistance of high throughput automated cell engineering and culture platforms (Paull et al. Nature Methods, Sept 2015).
We will establish the world’s first fully automated iPSc culture, generation and genome editing facility that is a necessity for the large and cutting edge stem cell ageing research program developed at UQ-StemCARE.
We have partnered with Perkin Elmer to create a world-class high throughput robotic facility for making iPSc, directing them into desired tissue cell types, and rapidly screening for novel therapeutic strategies that rejuvenate stem cells and their environments.
This cutting-edge technology platform will underpin the large amount of cell differentiation and genome modification required to carry out our stem cell based ageing research.
UQ-StemCARE Collaborations
UQ-StemCARE collaborates with leading national and international institutions and research groups:
- European Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA) _ University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
- Alber Einstein College of Medicine, Institute for Aging Research _ New York, United States of America.
- Buck Institute _ Novato, United States of America.
- University of Exeter_ Exeter, United Kindom.
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Antebi Lab _ Cologne, Germany.
- Geiger Lab, Institut of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Aging_ Ulm, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute of Ageing _ Jena, Germany.
- UCI Mind _ Irvine, United States of America.
We are always looking for promising early career researchers and PhD candidates. Our centre will provide professional support for successful candidates in applying to various fellowship programs to enable their stay at UQ-StemCARE. If you are interested in working with us, please contact the centre directors.
We also welcome established scientists to participate in the centre’s research activities for short stays or sabbaticals. Please contact the centre directors for further information.
News, Media and Events
Stem Cell Ageing Research Centre launched:
- AIBN News Story
- SBS News
- Queensland Government Media Statement
- Yahoo News Story
- Stem Cells Australia Story
TedX talks
- Prof. Wolvetang talking about artificial human mini-brains to cure diseases: Growing Mini-Brains To Solve Big Problems
- Prof. Cooper White exploring the question “What if we could mend a broken heart?” ONExHEART
News releases
- Breakthrough in stem cell research
- Step closer to understanding childhood degenerative brain disease
- World first in brain development research
- Disease breakthrough
- Down syndrome holds key to defeating Alzheimer
- Introducing APL Bioengineering by Justin Cooper-White, Editor-in-Chief
- UQ-StemCARE entered into an exiting new collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Germany
- Director Ernst Wolvetang talking about stem cells and ageing research on Channel 11’s SCOPE (starting from minute 16:23)
Seminars and Key Note lectures
- QIMR special seminar with Prof. Wolvetang on Human Functional Genomics using IPSC and CRISPR
- Key note lecture by Prof Cooper-White on “Human kidney organogenesis from pluripotent stem cells on a chip” at the 16th International Conference on Biomedical Engineering in Singapore
- Justin Cooper-White giving a plenary talk entitled “Directing stem cell fate for regenerative medicine applications” at the 6th Malaysia Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (MTERMS) conference
- Presentation at the 9th Annual ASSCR Meeting in Western Australia on “Targeted gene delivery for reprogramming” by Prof Cooper-White
Events
- 3rd Australian Biology of Ageing Conference 2018_ 25-26 June 2018
Podcasts