
Stem Cells and Neural Development Laboratory
Our laboratory has a broad interest in repairing the injured brain and places a strong emphasis on understanding neural development, with the idea that repairing the injured brain will require recapitulation of these early events.
There are a number of major research themes running within the laboratory, including:
- Improving our understanding of neural development;
- Molecular mechanisms underlying axonal targeting and synaptogenesis
- Establishing protocols for directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells;
- The use of stem-cell derived neurons for cell-replacement therapy
- Strategies to improve graft survival, integration and function
- Bioengineering scaffolds to support neural transplant
Research within the group primarily focuses on the development of midbrain dopamine neurons and their transplantation into models of Parkinson’s disease, yet also branches into the generation of other neuronal populations for grafting into various disease models including stroke.
Our research at a glimpse
- Bioengineered scaffolds for brain repair
- Generating neuronal subpopulations from pluripotent stem cell sources and their application in disease modelling and brain repair
- Cell therapy for brain repair focussing on Parkinson’s disease
- Developmental specification of midbrain dopamine neurons and their connectivity
Key collaborators:
Dr. Lachlan Thompson
Florey Neuroscience Institute, Melbourne
Dr. David Nisbet
Australian National University, Canberra
Prof. Colin Pouton
Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne
Dr. Mirella Dottori
The University of Melbourne
Assoc. Prof. Jennifer Rodger
The University of Western Australia, Perth
Dr. Marnie Blewitt
Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne
Prof. Ernest Arenas
Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Prof. Andras Simon
Karolinska Institute, Sweden
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