Читать книгу The SAGE Encyclopedia of Stem Cell Research - Группа авторов - Страница 111

In addition to the National Centre for Adult Stem Cell Research at the Eskitis Institute for Cell and Molecular Therapies Griffith University in Queensland that opened in 2006, a number of other Australian institutions focus chiefly on adult stem cell research because of ethical questions involved in embryonic stem cell research. These institutions include Catholic-affiliated facilities such as the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in New South Wales, the Garvin Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, and the Mater Medical Research Institute in Brisbane. Other institutions such as the Brain Institute at the University of Queensland, which is headed by Perry Bartlett, also have a tendency to focus on adult stem cell research.

In 2007, at the annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research held in Queensland, Australian researchers presented 178 reports. Significant research in the 21st century includes Jane Visvader and Geoff Lindeman’s finding that they can grow a complete mammary gland from a single stem cell. The finding is a breakthrough for researchers interested in reconstituting solid organs. Researchers at Monash Institute of Medical Research and Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories (MISCL) are involved in differentiating both human and mouse cells and have produced prostate tissue using hES cells.

Collaborations continue to be an important part of stem cell research in Australia. The Department of Health and Aging formed a partnership with the state government of Victoria and Monash University in 2008 to establish the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute with a $150 million investment. The institute focuses on understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms that control the regenerative abilities of organs damaged by disease or injury. Nadia Rosenthal, an American muscle regeneration biologist, was selected to head the institute. A partnership with China has also been established to bring the Stem Cell Research Centre of the University of Peking and MISCL of Monash University together to operate the Australia-China Centre of Excellence in Stem Cell Sciences. The center, which is headed by Richard Boyd and Graham Jenkin of Australia and Lingsong Li of China, focuses on the applications of stem cell research to cancer, liver diseases, and high-profile epidemics. The Australian Society for Stem Cell Research is a collaborative effort between Australia and New Zealand. It was established with a $200,000 grant from the state government of Victoria. Australia is also a member of Stem Cell Network Asia-Pacific (SNAP) and the International Society for Stem Cell Research.

While Australia is considered a leader in the field of stem cell research, Australian researchers often bemoan the fact that the country suffers from a “brain drain” in which young researchers prefer to receive their postdoctoral and early career training in the United States or Europe. There is also some concern about biotech companies that have moved their base of operations away from Australia. ESI is based in Singapore but has significant interests in Australia. BresaGen and Stem Cell Services have taken operations offshore. The latter performs most of its work in the United Kingdom. Mesoblast, which is based in Melbourne, is owned by an American company.

Elizabeth Rholetter Purdy

Independent Scholar

See Also: California; China; Singapore; United Kingdom; University of Southern California.