Stem cell research ready to blossom: Trounson

According to eminent Australian stem cell researcher Prof Alan Trounson, stem cell science is in a great place at the moment.

"The optimism for the research is incredible, and the science is really coming together," he says. "The challenge for us is to start delivering on the optimistic forecasts."

With a brand new laboratory in the process of completion in the Monash STRIP, Trounson is gearing up for a busy time as the director of the new Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories (MISCL).

The group, which pulls together Monash researchers in a variety of stem cell research related areas, is looking forward to its new home, Trounson says, next door to the Australian Stem Cell Centre's laboratories.

"It will be quite a special place," he says. "I think there are a lot of fantastic opportunities being created that are going to blossom."

MISCL currently consists of six research groups: Richard Boyd's group with its focus on immunological tolerance and applications to cell therapy; the embryonic stem cells and haematopoietic differentiation group led by Andrew Elefanty and Ed Stanley; Sharon Ricardo's renal regeneration and repair group; a group looking at ovarian and foetal physiology and stem cells led by Graham Jenkin, and Trounson's own two efforts, one focusing lung regeneration, the other on the basics of stem cells, germ cells, gametes and embryos.

Trounson says he hopes to bring in more researchers to expand the group, perhaps including ethicists as well as other researchers, and says that there has already been interest from researchers overseas, especially from the US.

He sees it as a fantastic opportunity to attract young dynamic researchers who are looking for a place where they can forge collaborations and access other complementary technologies, including biomedical engineering, synchrotron science, and nanotechnology.

It's also the first time in a long while that Trounson has been located in the heart of a university campus -- his previous position at the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development was located off campus at the Monash Medical Centre.

"There's an energy happening here now -- it's really exciting," he says.

One area of interest that Trounson is contemplating is the link between stem calls and cancer metastasis. Many cancers appear to arise in progenitor and other immature stem cell like cells.

"These are the wandering cells of the body -- we don't want cancer in these cells as it can lead to metastasis," he says. "If stem cell-like progenitors are getting loose, if we can find ways of targeting them, then we may have a way of stopping metastasis of tumours. We haven't started working on this yet, but I think it would be a productive area."

Another area of research Trounson is currently excited about is Sharon Ricardo's work on lung regeneration, which is focusing on chronic pulmonary obstructive diseases including emphysema.

"Emphysemic lungs have big spaces that are not functional, so one can't get enough oxygen and the heart gets stressed," he says. "We're trying to mobilise stem cells from bone marrow sources, and also identify lung stem cells -- where they are and how they might be induced to form more lung tissue."

There is also evidence that multipotent stem cells from the bone marrow, cord blood and other sources might be able to colonise lung tissue and form new alveoli. Eventually, embryonic stem cells might also be used to produce lung tissue, although in the near future, Trounson sees more of a role for the controversial cells in screening drugs that could be used to mobilise existing stem cells.

"We're interested in making connections with groups both here and overseas that have drug libraries," he says.

Ultimately, Trounson would like to tackle the most devastating of all lung diseases, cystic fibrosis.

"It's not a simple disease, but I think we should be able to do something with stem cells to repopulate the airways and repair the tissue. It's a longer term prospect, but there is a lot of interest in it, so it's likely to progress," Trounson says.

As for the future of stem cell research, Trounson believes the exciting things are poised to happen, with the $3 billion initiative in California due to hit the polls in early November, and a resurgence of interest in a number of European countries that have previously expressed reservations about the technology.

"If the Californian initiative gets off the ground, it will be very powerful," he says.

Trounson also praised the UK, which is one of only a handful of countries allowing the creation of embryos for research purposes.

"The UK has a highly regulated system but it's well supported and very liberal. I think they'll be very big contributors," he says.

And he believes that stem cell research in South East Asia, in Singapore, Korea, Japan and China, where differences in culture translate into more permissive ethical approaches, could easily outpace everyone else.

"They're doing astonishly good work there," Trounson says.

"While there's a lot of competition, we're in a very special environment at the moment. We should be looking for niche opportunities where we can do very well."

Bearing commercial fruit

Efforts to develop therapeutic uses of stem cells will need to be substantially commercial in nature, says Trouson, and much of the funding is likely to have to come from overseas.

He predicts that early commercial successes will come from the identification of stem cell mobilisation factors, including growth factors and cytokines, as well as small molecule drugs that can be used to target stem cells and regenerative processes.

As for the therapeutic use of stem cells themselves, he believes it's likely that both adult and embryonic stem cells will be evaluated for clinical use, depending on the application.

"We'll probably start with patients with no other options -- pretty sick people who have suffered serious stroke or other life-threatening disease," Trounson says. "But we'll really need to back away into earlier stages of disease, for example milder damage to tissues."