Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group: Research projects
We have multiple projects available for students associated with Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology.
Obstetrics
The foundations of health throughout life are laid down during fetal development. Complications of pregnancy that compromise fetal development have profound effects not only on the immediate outcomes of pregnancy but also on the life-long disease risk susceptibility of the offspring. Around 300,000 babies are born in Australia each year. The growth and development of more than 45,000 of these babies is compromised by complications of pregnancy. Complications of pregnancy, such as: pregnancy-induced maternal high-blood pressure (preeclampsia, PE); pregnancy-induced diabetes (gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM); small for gestational age (intrauterine growth restriction, IUGR), stillbirth and preterm birth (delivery before 32 completed weeks of pregnancy, PTB) result in significant adverse health outcomes for the newborn; an increased short term risk of mortality and morbidity and an increased life time risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease. In most cases, poor pregnancy outcome is not anticipated or diagnosed early enough to significantly change health outcomes. Currently available tests are either not of sufficient accuracy for screening the general obstetric population or lack sufficient evidence-based data to define clinical utility and justify implementation into standard practice. We have strong biomarker and therapeutic program focussed on extracellular vesicles for a wide range of complication of pregnancies.
Gynaecological cancers – Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most diagnosed gynecological cancers in women. Due to the lack of effective early stage screening, women are more often diagnosed at an advanced stage; therefore, it is associated with poor patient outcomes. There are a lack of tools to identify patients at the highest risk of developing this cancer. Moreover, early detection strategies, therapeutic approaches, and real-time monitoring of responses to treatment to improve survival and quality of life are also inadequate. Tumor development and progression are dependent upon cell-to-cell communication, allowing cancer cells to re-program cells not only within the surrounding tumor microenvironment, but also at distant sites. Recent studies established that extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediate bi-directional communication between normal and cancerous cells. EVs are highly stable membrane vesicles that are released from a wide range of cells, including healthy and cancer cells. They contain tissue-specific signaling molecules (e.g., proteins and miRNA) and, once released, regulate target cell phenotypes, inducing a pro-tumorigenic and immunosuppressive phenotype to contribute to tumor growth and metastasis as well as proximal and distal cell function. Thus, EVs are a "fingerprint" of their cell of origin and reflect the metabolic status. Additionally, via the capacity to evade the immune system and remain stable over long periods in circulation, EVs can be potent therapeutic agents.