We still lack a clear understanding of how individual organs know how to grow to the right size and maintain this size. The roles of stem and progenitor cells in the growth of different organs are also unclear, as is the impact of diet and nutrition on organ growth. To investigate these questions, our program leverages the unique strengths that are offered by different experimental systems, including Drosophila, zebrafish and organoid cultures. We also collaborate with clinicians from within the VCCC (Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre) network to examine how deregulation of organogenesis signalling networks drive cancers such as melanoma, mesothelioma, glioblastoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
We have specific interests in the following topics: how the Hippo pathway controls normal, neoplastic and regenerative tissue growth; the impact of diet and nutrition on organogenesis; the metabolism of cells in normal and neoplastic tissue; how deregulation of organogenesis signalling networks drive cancer; how the growth of different organs is coordinately regulated during development; and how the proliferative potential of stem cells is controlled.