Embryonic Stem Cell Laboratory - Honours in 2010

An Honours project undertaken in this lab would be administered by the Discipline of Physiology.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from the small pocket of inner cell mass cells of the very early mammalian embryo. ES cells self-renew and grow rapidly in culture. Most importantly, they are pluripotent and therefore capable of differentiating to all the different possible cell types in the developing embryo and the adult.

Because of these properties, ES cells have been used widely as an in vitro model for studying normal and abnormal mammalian development, and for the production of specific cell types that potentially can be used to treat a range of human diseases and conditions. Examples include neuropathies such as Parkinson's Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, nervous system injury resulting from stroke or spinal damage, Type I diabetes, and cardiomyopathy.

Embryonic stem cell

Supervisor + contact details:

• Dr Michael Morris

In this lab, we are investigating the mechanisms by which ES cells can be directed to differentiate to specific cell types, such as neural cells. This will help us to understand the intricate mechanisms by which this is achieved in the embryo as it grows as well as providing the means to produce these cell types for use in animal models of human disease and injury.

In particular, we are (i) mapping the signalling mechanisms which maintain ES cells in a pluripotent, self-renewing, rapidly proliferating state and (ii) identifying and manipulating critical molecular switches so that ES cells lose pluripotence and differentiate to specific cell types, with particular emphasis on neurogenesis.

Projects are available which draw on a variety of techniques in cell and molecular biology, protein chemistry, and bioinformatics.