Contact Details
| Organization: | Zoology |
| Position: | SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW |
| Email: | |
| Homepage: | http://www.zoology.unimelb.edu.au/aboutus/staff/index.php?421 |
Biography
Dr Joy Rathjen: Senior Research Fellow, Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne.
Dr. Rathjen started working with mouse embryonic stem cells in 1990, on her return to Australia after completing her doctorate studies at the University of Oxford. She was integral to the establishment of an embryonic stem cell laboratory in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Adelaide in partnership with Professor Peter Rathjen. Her research effort has concentrated on the maintenance and directed differentiation of ES cells in culture. Dr. Rathjen’s contributions to the field include:
• Novel and effective mechanisms for the controlled differentiation of mouse ES cells to a second pluripotent population, EPL cells, representative of the primitive ectoderm, or epiblast.
• Methodologies for the formation of essentially pure populations of neural progenitors by directed differentiation of EPL cells in culture.
• Methodologies for the formation of populations highly enriched in derivatives of the mesoderm and endoderm lineages.
This work formed the basis of a commercial venture between BresaGen and the University of Adelaide worth $2,000,000 in shares, a further $1,000,000 in milestone driven payments, and support for a 3 year >$6,200,000 Cell Therapy program in the Department of Molecular Biosciences.
Dr. Rathjen has experience in the culture and manipulation of human ES cells and is currently transferring the existing technology developed in the mouse to the human cell system as part of an Australian Stem Cell Centre project agreement. Additionally, she is investigating the mechanisms that regulate the formation of the mesoderm lineage from EPL cells. She moved from Adelaide in 2006 and is currently located at the Department of Zoology at the University of Melbourne.
Biographical information:
University of Adelaide B.Sc 1981-1983; Biochemistry and Genetics
University of Adelaide B.Sc. (Hons) 1984; Biochemistry
University of Oxford. D. Phil. 1986-1989; Biochemistry
Positions held
1984-1985: Research Assistant, School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University
Supervisor: Dr. D.E.A. Catcheside
1986-1989: Research Assistant, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Supervisor: Dr. E. J. C. Mellor
(Concurrent with completing the requirements of a D. Phil. degree)
1989-1990: Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Supervisor: Dr. E. J. C. Mellor
1991-1999: Post-doctoral Research Fellow (fractional time 50 – 67%), Department of Biochemistry, University of Adelaide, Supervisor: Prof. P. D. Rathjen
Oct. 1999-Aug. 2001: Group leader (fractional time 80%), Cell Therapy program, Luminis Pty. Ltd.
Aug. 2001-Jul.2002 Post-doctoral Research Fellow (fractional time 80%), Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Adelaide, Supervisor: Prof. P. D. Rathjen
Jul. 2002-August 2006 Senior Research Fellow, School of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Adelaide
September 2006-present Senior Research Fellow, Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne.
Research Expertise and International Linkages
Research Expertise
| Research Interest | Key Words | Country of Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Epigentic regulation during stem cell development | Australia, United States of America | |
| Cell interactions and stem cell differentiation | Australia | |
| Stem Cell differentiation | including growth factors and signaling pathways in stem cell differentiation | Australia |
| Stem cell maintenance | including stem cell physiology | Australia |
International Linkages
| Country | Establishment | Collaboration |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Florida State University | Exchange, Research |
Qualifications, Honours, Fellowships and Other Awards
Qualifications
| Title | Institution | Date Awarded | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctorate in Science | University of Oxford | 23-Jul-1990 | |
| Honours in Biochemistry | Adelaide University | 31-Dec-1984 | |
| Bachelor of Science | Adelaide University | 31-Dec-1983 |
Government Research Classifications
Research Fields, Courses and Discipline Classifications
- Cell Metabolism (BIOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY) (270102)
- Cellular Interactions (incl. Adhesion, Matrix, Cell Wall) (BIOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY) (270105)
- Cell Development (incl. Cell Division and Apoptosis) (BIOCHEMISTRY AND CELL BIOLOGY) (270106)
- Genome Structure (GENETICS) (270202)
- Genetic Development (incl. Sex Determination) (GENETICS) (270205)
- Animal Physiology - Cell (PHYSIOLOGY) (270602)
- Comparative Physiology (PHYSIOLOGY) (270604)
- Diagnostic Applications (BIOTECHNOLOGY) (270802)
Socio-Economic Objective Classifications
- Nervous system and disorders (CLINICAL; ORGANS, DISEASES AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS) (730104)
- Cardiovascular system and diseases (CLINICAL; ORGANS, DISEASES AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS) (730106)
- Reproductive system and disorders (CLINICAL; ORGANS, DISEASES AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS) (730116)
- Organs, diseases & abnormal conditions not elsewhere classified (CLINICAL; ORGANS, DISEASES AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS) (730118)
- Clin health not spec to partlar organs, diseases & condits (CLINICAL; ORGANS, DISEASES AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS) (730199)
- Biological sciences (NON-ORIENTED RESEARCH) (780105)
Grants and Contracts
Research Grants, Contracts and Consultancies awarded to the University of Melbourne as the administering institution (since 2003) as recorded in Themis Agreements.
Grants
| Title | Role | Funding Source | Scheme | Award Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metabolic Profiling of Human Embryonic Stem Cells. | Chief Investigator | AUST RESEARCH COUNCIL | Linkage Projects | 01/01/2009 |
Contracts
| Title | Role | Funding Source | Award Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| FORMATION OF PLURIPOTENT, PRIMITIVE ECTODERM-LIKE CELLS AND EARLY MESODERM PROGENITORS FROM HUMAN ES CELLS IN CULTURE | Chief Investigator | UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, AUST STEM CELL CENTRE LTD (ASCC) |
01/04/2008 |
Publications
Publications produced at the University of Melbourne and reported in the Annual Publications Collection and 'Research Report' since 2001. The Themis Publications module, released in November 2006, allows additional publications from previous institutions and publications from past years to be entered.