RESEARCHER PROFILE
Professor Ernst J. Wolvetang
Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
The University of Queensland
Australia
Professor Ernst Wolvetang obtained his PhD from the University of Amsterdam, continued his post-doctoral training at the Monash Institute for Reproduction and Development, before joining the Australian Stem Cell Centre.
In 2008 he was recruited to the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology at The University of Queensland (UQ). He currently heads the Stem Cell Engineering Laboratory and directs the Australian Organoid Facility at UQ as well as the Phenomics Australia NNAT node at UQ.
He is a leader in the derivation, genome editing and disease modelling with human induced pluripotent stem cell and organoids derived from these. Professor Wolvetang is known as our “Mr Organoid” for his trailblazing approach to this exciting field of medical research. He is a pioneer in the field of pluripotent stem cell biology, whose frank and colourful turn of phrase underscores the passion he has for his work.
Professor Wolvetang was among the first to bring the first human embryonic stem cells to Queensland, with his Wolvetang Group at the AIBN now renowned for its work with organoids: growing them, studying them, and using them to try and understand diseases and human development.
Using cutting edge technology, Professor Wolvetang designs and grows organoids both for their own work and for labs across the country, coaxing pluripotent stem cells or tissue samples into 3D structures that mimic the function and architecture of real brains, livers, kidneys, spinal cords, and intestines.
Crucially, Professor Wolvetang says organoids could one day negate the need for animal models, as they can be designed to replicate what is happening inside an individual patient, offering researchers a unique opportunity to study personalised responses to new treatments.
He says this could shave years off the drug development process and – ultimately – the time between diagnosing a problem and delivering the solution.
“Once we demonstrate the power and accuracy of this approach for one genetic disease, it could open the door for testing of other gene therapies for a range of genetic neurological conditions.”, says Professor Wolvetang.
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Exercise therapy for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease
Dr Shelley Keating is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology and Accredited Exercise Physiologist from the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland. With a strong grounding in exercise metabolism and body composition, Dr Keating’s research centres on the utility of exercise as a therapy for obesity and related cardiometabolic conditions, notably metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
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Hormone receptor positive breast cancer and therapy resistance
Prof Elgene Lim is a medical oncologist at St Vincent’s Hospital and Head of the Connie Johnson Breast Cancer Research Lab at the Garvan Institute. Following his PhD at the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute where he identified the aberrant cells in carriers of the BRCA1 mutant gene, a hereditary breast cancer syndrome as the culprit cells giving rise to breast cancer, he furthered his research and clinical training at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. He was awarded the National Breast Cancer Foundation Practitioner Fellowship in 2014 and returned from Boston to Australia. In 2017, he was awarded the inaugural National Breast Cancer Foundation Endowed Chair, and subsequently appointed the Principal Cancer Theme Lead at UNSW.
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Healthcare associated infection prevention
Professor Philip Russo is an internationally regarded expert in healthcare associated infection prevention, and led the recently completed the Australian National Healthcare Associated Infection Point Prevalence Survey, the first in Australia for 34 years. He is also Past President of the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC), the peak body for Infection Prevention and Control professionals in the Australasian region.
