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  8. arrow_forward_ios Gene therapy and translational molecular analysis laboratory

Gene therapy and translational molecular analysis laboratory

explore
  • Our research
    • Healthy Futures
      • arrow_forward Advanced tissue engineering and stem cell biology
      • arrow_forward Cancer Biology Group
      • arrow_forward Chlamydia in Women and Australian Wildlife
      • arrow_forward Forensic Predictive Imaging Unit
      • arrow_forward Gene therapy and translational molecular analysis laboratory
      • arrow_forward Helminth Immunology
      • arrow_forward The Labbate Group
      • arrow_forward Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
      • arrow_forward Neural Injury Research Unit
      • arrow_forward Neuroscience Research Unit
      • arrow_forward Neurotoxin Research Group
      • arrow_forward Parasite transmission immunity and vaccine
      • arrow_forward Pregnancy and cardiovascular disease
      • arrow_forward Programming and development
      • arrow_forward Respiratory Research Group
      • arrow_forward Simpson Laboratory
      • arrow_forward Translational Airways Group
      • arrow_forward Translational Oncology Group
      • arrow_forward UTS Centenary Centre for Inflammation
      • arrow_forward Woolcock Emphysema Centre
    • arrow_forward Impact of our research
    • Life Sciences Technologies
      • arrow_forward Hack the Cell
      • arrow_forward Membrane Biophysics Group

Focus

Diabetes and metabolic diseases

 

Group leaders

Professor Ann Simpson

 

Group members

Associate Professor Bronwyn O'Brien

Professor Simpson’s group focusses their research on the gene therapy of diabetes mellitus. Specifically, her research is concerned with investigating the possibility of engineering an artificial insulin-producing cell to replace the insulin-secreting beta cells that have been destroyed by the autoimmune process in Type I diabetics. In this she has been successful, in engineering several human liver cell lines to store and secrete insulin to a glucose stimulus. One of these cell lines (Melligen) has reversed diabetes in an animal model and is licensed for development to “PharmaCyte Biotech Inc.”

In particular the work now focuses on novel strategies to deliver genes using lentiviral and adeno-associated vector systems with the aim of reversing diabetes. The group has several world first achievements reversing diabetes in rats, spontaneously diabetic mice, humanised mice and pigs. She collaborates on clinical studies, studies linking the microbiome with Type 2 diabetes and the mechanisms behind some cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal People of the Dharug Nation upon whose ancestral lands our campuses now stand. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands. 

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15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007

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