Research Interests
Animal Cell and Molecular Biology Animal Growth and Development Animal Physiology - Cell Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Biochemistry and Cell Biology Biological Biological Sciences Bone and Bones Cell Biology Cell Development, Proliferation and Death Gene and Molecular Therapy Gene Expression Genetics Medical and Health Sciences Respiratory Diseases Respiratory SystemDr Nathan Rout-Pitt
Grant funded researcher (B)
School of Medicine
College of Health
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Lung fibrosis in cystic fibrosis (CF) remains poorly defined, with few studies exploring its development or underlying cellular mechanisms over the past 10–15 years. My research explores the premise that this process of fibrosis is hindering the effectiveness of clinically approved therapies (e.g. modulators) and those under development (e.g. gene therapy). At the University of Adelaide Cystic Fibrosis Airway Research Group, our goal is to cure CF airway disease through CFTR gene-addition therapy. Gene therapy efforts have often prioritized speed to clinic over understanding CF’s biological complexity, meaning that there are still no gene therapies on the market for CF. While CFTR modulator drugs like Trikafta have improved care for many, they are ineffective for about 30% of patients due to ineligible mutations, side effects, or limited benefit. My research goal is to ‘Cure CF through a deeper understanding of its biological complexity’, including assessing signalling pathways that drive fibrosis.The main focuses of my current research include:- Modeling CF lung disease in rats.- Identifying fibrosis-related pathways in CF.- Linking these fibrosis related pathways to CFTR trafficking.- Evaluating the Reversibility of fibrotic signaling pathways.
Honours projects currently available
Project 1
Title: Identifying altered pathways that lead to increased lung stiffness in CF rats models
Description: Our group has access to two CF rat models containing different mutations (A Phe508del mutation which results in misfolded version of the protein, and a KO mutation with a truncated non-functional protein). CF rat models typically do not develop overt lung disease like humans, however, our newer data suggests that there is evidence of more subtle alterations to the lungs of our CF rat models including lung stiffness; a sign of fibrotic tissue. We have also shown that the gene expression profiles of these two CF rat models are not only different to wildtype rats, but also each other. One of the more obvious changes is collagen type 1 production which is increased in Phe508del rats, but decreased in KO rats.
There are currently a number of sub-projects within this project looking at:
1) Further characterising changes in signalling pathways in these rats using RNAseq,
2) Understanding the effect of Phe508del mutant CFTR protein on signalling pathways,
3) Developing and characterising a rat fibrotic lung model, and
4) Determining whether current CFTR modulator therapies or potential lentiviral gene therapies can fully correct these altered signalling pathways.
These projects will utilise a range of skills including RNAseq analysis, qPCR, Western blotting, cell culture, and immunohistochemistry. These projects may also involve mass spectrometry for lipid analysis and the use of a novel In Vivo Oxidative Status (IVOS) probe to measure oxidative stress levels in the CF rats.
Co-supervisor(s): A. Prof Martin Donnelley, Dr Alexandra McCarron, A. Prof Erik Noschka (Project dependent)
Projects available for: Honours and Masters
Location: Women's and Children's Hospital
Research project start: Semester 1 or 2
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 - ongoing | Postdoctoral researcher | University of Adelaide |
| 2021 - 2022 | Postdoctoral researcher | SA Pathology |
| 2018 - 2020 | Postdoctoral researcher | University of Adelaide |
| 2015 - 2018 | Research Assistant | University of Adelaide |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 - 2015 | University of Adelaide | Australia | PhD |
| 2010 - 2010 | Flinders University | Australia | BSc (Honours) |
| 2007 - 2009 | Flinders Univerity | Australia | Bachelor of Science |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Byers, S., Pout-Pitt, N., Linard, H., Ainslie, L. K., & Roberts, S. A. D. (2015). MPS GAG modulate mesenchymal stem cell differentiation. In MOLECULAR GENETICS AND METABOLISM Vol. 114 (pp. S27-S28). Orlando, FL: ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE. DOI |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Rout-Pitt, N., Mc Carron, A., Boog, B., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2023). A twist in the cystic fibrosis story—TGF-β1 treatment affects epithelialmesenchymal transition differentially in two cystic fibrosis rat airway cell models. Poster session presented at the meeting of North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference. |
| 2020 | Rout-Pitt, N., Delhove, J., Farrow, N., Donnelley, M., & Parsons, D. (2020). Development of an Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition Tracing Vector. Poster session presented at the meeting of MOLECULAR THERAPY. ELECTR NETWORK: CELL PRESS. |
| 2020 | Carpentieri, C., Farrow, N., Cmielewski, P., Delhove, J., Rout-Pitt, N., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2020). Frequency and Timing of Lentiviral Vector Repeat Dose Delivery Does Not Significantly Alter Long-Term Transgene Expression Levels in Mouse Lungs. Poster session presented at the meeting of MOLECULAR THERAPY. ELECTR NETWORK: CELL PRESS. |
| 2019 | Rout-Pitt, N., Donnelley, M., & Parsons, D. (2019). OPTIMISATION OF BRONCHOSCOPIC LENTIVIRAL VECTOR DELIVERY FOR DIRECT LOBE TARGETING IN RAT LUNGS. Poster session presented at the meeting of RESPIROLOGY. WILEY. |
| 2018 | Byers, S., Rout-Pitt, N., Linard, H., Vaidyanathan, S., & Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K. (2018). MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION IS MODULATED BY COMPLEX SUGARS IN MPS DISEASE. Poster session presented at the meeting of JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE. Univ Technol Sydney, Sydney, AUSTRALIA: WILEY. |
| 2018 | McIntyre, C., Rout-Pitt, N., Donnelley, M., & Parsons, D. (2018). LOBE SPECIFIC TARGETING OF LENTIVIRAL VECTOR GENE TRANSFER TO THE LUNGS OF ADULT RATS. Poster session presented at the meeting of PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY. WILEY. |
| 2018 | McIntyre, C., Cmielewski, P., Craig, F., Rout-Pitt, N., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2018). CF-RELATED PATHOLOGIES ARE MORE SEVERE IN KNOCKOUT RATS COMPARED TO PHE508DEL RATS. Poster session presented at the meeting of PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY. WILEY. |
| 2018 | Carpentieri, C., Farrow, N., Cmielewski, P., McIntyre, C., McCarron, A., Rout-Pitt, N., . . . Donnelley, M. (2018). Airway Gene-Addition Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis: the VSV-G Pseudotype Produces Higher Transduction Levels Than HA. Poster session presented at the meeting of MOLECULAR THERAPY. Chicago, IL: CELL PRESS. |
| 2018 | Farrow, N., Cmielewski, P., Donnelley, M., Rout-Pitt, N., Bertoncello, I., & Parsons, D. (2018). Epithelial Disruption Enables Human Airway Stem Cell Transplantation in Mouse Nasal Airways. Poster session presented at the meeting of MOLECULAR THERAPY. Chicago, IL: CELL PRESS. |
| 2018 | Carpentieri, C., Farrow, N., Mcintyre, C., Cmielewski, P., Rout-Pitt, N., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2018). COMPARATIVE EFFICIENCY OF HA AND VSV-G PSEUDOTYPED LENTIVIRAL VECTORS FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS AIRWAY GENE THERAPY. Poster session presented at the meeting of RESPIROLOGY. WILEY. |
| 2017 | Farrow, N., Donnelley, M., McIntyre, C., Rout-Pitt, N., & Parsons, D. (2017). Developing high efficiency gene transfer techniques using human air liquid interface cultures. Poster session presented at the meeting of TSANZ Poster presentations, as published in Respirology. Canberra: Wiley. |
| 2017 | McCarron, A., Rout-Pitt, N., McIntyre, C., Donnelley, M., & Parsons, D. W. D. (2017). Lentivirus Production in Stirred-Tank and Packed-Bed Basket Bioreactor Systems: A Comparison. Poster session presented at the meeting of MOLECULAR THERAPY. Washington, DC: CELL PRESS. |
| 2017 | Farrow, N., Donnelley, M., Rout-Pitt, N., McIntyre, C., Bertoncello, I., & Parsons, D. W. D. (2017). High Efficiency <i>In Vitro</i> Transduction of Human Airway Basal Cells. Poster session presented at the meeting of MOLECULAR THERAPY. Washington, DC: CELL PRESS. |
| 2017 | Carpentieri, C. L., Farrow, N., McIntyre, C., McCarron, A., Rout-Pitt, N., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2017). COMPARATIVE EFFICIENCY OF HA AND VSV-G PSEUDOTYPED LENTIVIRAL VECTORS DEVELOPED FOR TREATING CYSTIC FIBROSIS LUNG DISEASE. Poster session presented at the meeting of PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY. WILEY. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Rout-Pitt, N., Barnes, S., Reyne, N., McCarron, A., Donnelley, M., Kostecki, R., & Noschka, E. (2025). Evaluating an In Vivo Oxidative Stress sensor in cystic fibrosis rat epithelial tissues. DOI |
2025 N. Rout-Pitt, Robinson Research Institute Step Funding, "Characterising basal epithelial stem cell subpopulations in cystic fibrosis airways: Investigating the inherent risk of fibrosis", $40,000
2025 N. Rout-Pitt, A, McCarron, M, Donnelley, Cystic Fibrosis Australia Conquer Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapies Innovation grant, "Improving CFTR gene therapy by ensuring airway cells exist in an epithelial state", $80,000
2024 N. Rout-Pitt, Robinson Research Institute Step Funding, "Assessing how lipid metabolism changes in Cystic Fibrosis epithelial cells during Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition", $15,000
2024 N. Rout-Pitt, A. McCarron, D. Parsons, M. Donnelley, Fall Path to a cure (PTAC) Pilot and Feasibility Award Program of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF): 'Unravelling the Role of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease: Insights, Challenges, and Therapeutic Prospects', $175,000
2019 N. Rout-Pitt, N. Farrow, J. Delhove, D. Parsons, M. Donnelley, WCH Foundation Grant: “Cell plasticity of the airways: Understanding the stem cell niche to optimise gene therapy and stem cell targeting”, $75,000
2018 N. Rout-Pitt, Cure 4 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Grant: "Lentiviral vector production facility management", $41,828
2017 M. Donnelley, C. McIntyre, N. Rout-Pitt, A. McCarron, D. Parsons, Channel 7 Children's Research Foundation Grant: “Improving the efficiency of cystic fibrosis airway gene therapy”, $74,213
I am passionate about science and have over ten years research experience as a molecular biologist in bone and respiratory diseases in multi-disciplinary teams delivering high quality research.
I have supervised 3rd year placement, honours, masters and PhD students. My first student in the Masters of Biotechnology program within the School of Biological Sciences provided with a glowing thank you in her thesis.
'...I would like to thank my other supervisor, Dr Nathan Rout-Pitt. Thank you for your careful guidance to my every experiment and giving me the most detailed opinions in the process of my writing. I think he is the most responsible and patient supervisor I have seen in Australia in the past two years. Even in my 18 years of school, I haven't met such a good supervisor as him'
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Developing an effective airway stem cell therapy for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis lung disease | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Stuti Saini |
| 2023 | Co-Supervisor | Understanding and improving gene vector targeting with lentiviral magnetic nanoparticles | Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with | Doctorate | Part Time | Ms Madison Michelle Davis |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 - ongoing | Member | IBC committee | University of Adelaide | Australia |
| 2017 - 2020 | Representative | EMCR council | Robinson Research Institute | Australia |
| Date | Role | Membership | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 - ongoing | Member | The EMT International Association | Australia |
| 2020 - 2021 | Member | American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy | United States |
| 2019 - 2020 | Member | Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science | Australia |
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