Shake up in Australian stem cell research

Australian stem cell research received a shake up today as the Australian Stem Cell Centre (ASCC) announced a significant reorganisation and expansion of its research programmes.

As a part of the reshuffle, the ASSC has introduced four new foci for its efforts, called 'Collaborative Streams', which bundle together various research modules under an overarching theme. Each stream was selected by independent peer-review.

The Collaborative Streams cover the following:

1) Bioreactors and Smart Surfaces for Stem Cell Propagation Stream 1 will research various artificial surfaces and small molecules that recreate the natural environment, which are amenable to mass production and can be used to generate the large number of cells that could be used for clinical therapies. This Stream is headed up by Professor Peter Gray, from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), University of Queensland, and Associate Professor David Haylock, from the Australian Stem Cell Centre.

2) Reprogramming and Induction of Pluripotency Stream 2 brings together Australian researchers working with induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to better understand the process of reprogramming, explore the use of iPS cells in regenerating heart and other tissues and test their therapeutic potential. This Stream is led by Associate Professor Ernst Wolvetang, from the AIBN, University of Queensland and Dr Andrew Laslett, from the Australian Stem Cell Centre.

3) Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation Stream 3 will look at the events that direct stem cells along pathways to specific cell types such as blood, heart or kidney. It will investigate how these processes can be modulated and turned to clinical advantage. It is hoped that better understanding will allow the full potential of these cells to be realised for the understanding and possible treatment of disease. This Stream is headed by Professor Andrew Elefanty, of Monash University and Associate Professor Susie Nilsson, of the Australian Stem Cell Centre.

4) Adult Stem Cells Despite widely differing origins, locations and capabilities, adult stem cells share many common features. This Stream will seek to develop a common approach to its projects and provide conceptual support to other Streams, with the view that knowledge gained about stem cells in one organ will illuminate the behaviour of stem cells in other organs. This Stream is headed up by Professor Richard Harvey, of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and Professor Melissa Little, from the Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Queensland.

“The Collaborative Streams involve a large proportion of Australia’s stem cell research groups, providing an unprecedented opportunity to develop new collaborations," said Professor Graham Macdonald, Chair of the Australian Stem Cell Centre.

"This is an exciting development for the Centre which has been to a large extent driven by the stem cell scientific community. All of us involved with the ASCC look forward to seeing these collaborations produce significant results in the coming years and enhance our understanding of stem cells and their potential applications.”

Professor Peter Gray, Director of the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology at the University of Queensland and a Collaborative Stream Leader added “the establishment of the Collaborative Streams will consolidate stem cell research in this country. By working together stem cell scientists will accelerate the translation of stem cells from the lab to the clinic.”

According to Professor Alan Mackay-Sim, Director at the National Centre for Adult Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, the new arrangement will change the way his and other stem cell labs around Australia will operate. "The process has opened lines of communication between all stem cell labs and it emphasises continued communication and collaboration and cross fertilisation between labs," he said.

"We are funded in two streams: Adult Stem Cells and Pluripotent Stem Cells. In the former stream we are part of the stem cell gene expression database (with Dr Hilton at WEHI) which will bring together mouse and human stem cell data. In the latter we are working with Dr Wolvetang (at UQ) to make iPS cells from people with schizophrenia. So we are able to develop ideas that we cannot currently do with our present funding."

The Collaborative Streams will continue at least until the end of the current funding period, which goes until June 2011.