Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan
Senior Research Fellow
Adelaide Medical School
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan is a Developmental and Tissue Repair/Regeneration Biologist, with unique training experience at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and the Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales. Vashe Chandrakanthan's aims are to develop new concepts in regenerative medicine by understanding how haematopoietic stem cell production is regulated in the developing embryos and how this could be translated into a microfluidic bioreactor-based patients specific blood production. Dr Chandrakanthan's laboratory core values are: (1) Creativity and Innovation by thinking outside the box, (2) Not afraid of trying something new to develop cutting edge technologies, (3) Education and Compassion towards patients and community and (4) most importantly Generosity by sharing new invented technologies with other researchers to find better outcome for the humanity.
- My Research
- Career
- Publications
- Grants and Funding
- Teaching
- Supervision
- Professional Activities
- Contact
Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan is currently leads the Stem Cell Bioengineering Laboratory at the Precision Medicine, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, The University of Adelaide. Dr Chandrakanthan’s primary research interest lies in the field of developmental and molecular biology of stem cells and their application towards regenerative medicine. His laboratory investigates fundamental questions, concerning how Aorta Gonad Mesonephros (AGM) stromal cells regulate Endothelium-to-Haematopoietic Transition (EHT) during embryonic blood development. This is of critical importance for advancing our understanding of 1) how normal haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) development occurs; 2) postnatal tissue homeostasis and ageing; 3) the pathogenesis of a range of blood disorders mediated by stromal cells; and 4) pathways to generate patient–specific HSCs for tissue repair and regeneration.
Dr Chandrakanthan’s research projects are ambitious, comprehensive, and intentionally not confined to one tissue type or disease process. His ultimate vision is to identify and understand molecular/soluble factors that regulate endothelium-to-haematopoietic transition during embryonic blood development and translate that knowledge into patient specific haematopoietic stem cell production using microfluidic bioreactor. Development of microfluidic bioreactor to harvest HSCs from endothelium could be applied to treat a range of blood disorders.
Dr Chandrakanthan has had postdoctoral training at the Victor Change Cardiac Research Institute and followed by establishing his Stem Cell Development and Tissue Regeneration Laboratory at the Lowy Cancer Research Centre, University of New South Wales. Dr Chandrakanthan completed his PhD in 2008 with a major finding: "activation of Trp53 in cultured and IVF embryos leads to a loss of viability, restored in Trp53 mutant embryos". This has significant implications for assisted reproductive technology: in vitro selection for viable embryos may unwittingly select for genetic or epigenetic changes to Trp53: an insight leading to improved screening against cancer predisposition in IVF practice.
As a postdoctoral fellow, Prof Richard Harvey mentored him at the Victor Change Cardiac Research Institute. There Chandrakanthan work led to discover a novel endogenous stem-cell population in the adult mouse heart – published in Cell Stem Cell (2011) and attracting interest in national and international media and the subject of a Cell editorial commentary.
At the UNSW, where his work leading to a new method to convert somatic cells into tissue regenerative stem/progenitor cells (PNAS, 2016) won the University’s NewSouth Innovations Award in 2013 and has yielded patents (US: 4/652552; Australia: 2012905513). Now this technology is translated to reprogram human adipocytes into cells into tissue regenerative iMS cells (Science Advances 2021), which is more relevant to clinical applications. Recently Dr Chandrakanthan identified an embryonic stromal cell population that can convert adult endothelium into haemogenic endothelium that can give rise long-term transplantable HSCs, which has translational value (Nature Cell Biology 2022). These are a direct outcome of Dr Chandrakanthan’s decade of research in early embryo development and stem cell biology – strong track record of developing new concepts in regenerative medicine, in particularly of how HSC production is regulated in the embryo and how this could translate into a microfluidic bioreactor based human blood production. His work is underpinned by a strong foundation in developmental and tissue regeneration biology.
If you are passionate about thinking outside the square to develop new tissue regeneration protocols, please contact Dr Chandrakanthan about potential student internships.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2024 - ongoing Postgraduate Co-ordinator (PGC) University of Adelaide 2023 - ongoing Head of the Stem Cell Bioengineering Laboratory University of Adelaide 2022 - ongoing Honorary Visiting Fellow University of Technology Sydney 2022 - ongoing Honorary Senior Lecturer UNSW Sydney 2017 - 2022 Head of The Stem Cell Development and Tissue Regeneration Laboratory UNSW Sydney 2016 - 2022 HDR-PGC Panel member UNSW Sydney 2015 - 2016 Senior Research Fellow UNSW Sydney 2011 - 2022 Advisory Board member Adult Cancer Program UNSW Sydney 2011 - 2022 Scientific Advisory board member of Transgenic Animal Unit UNSW Sydney 2011 - 2022 Lowy Cancer Research Centre Animal Facility Operations Committee member UNSW Sydney 2010 - 2015 Research Fellow UNSW Sydney 2007 - 2010 Postdoctoral Fellow Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2023 Fellowship Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision Fellowship Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision for Centre of Research Excellence in Bone Marrow Biology Australia - 2018 Award The 2nd China (Shenzhen) Innovation and Entrepreneurship International competition China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) China - 2017 Fellowship School of Medical Sciences Travel Fellowship University of New South Wales Australia - 2016 Fellowship EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Travel Fellowship EMBL Germany - 2015 Award ISEH Travel Award International Society for Experimental Haematology United States - 2015 Award Contributing to Australian Scholarship and Science foundation travel award CASS foundation Australia - 2014 Award National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia travel award National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia Australia - 2013 Research Award Winner of University of New South Wale Innovations - Early Stage Innovation Award The University of New South Wales Australia - 2013 Award National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia travel award National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia Australia - 2013 Award Translational Cancer Research Network travel award TCRN, The University of New South Wales Australia - 2011 Award Dean’s Rising Star Award The University of New South Wales Australia - 2010 Award International Society for Hematology and Stem Cells Travel Award International Society for Experimental Haematology United States - 2008 Research Award The Cancer Institute New South Wales Award for Excellence in Best Oral Presentation The Cancer Institute New South Wales Australia - -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title University of Sydney Australia PhD -
Research Interests
Innovative Therapeutics Translational Health Outcomes Cardiac, Respiratory and Vascular Health Regenerative medicine (incl. stem cells) Cardiovascular Medicine and Haematology Developmental Biology Cellular interactions (incl. adhesion, matrix, cell wall) Cell Biology Cell Development, Proliferation and Death Gene expression (incl. microarray and other genome-wide approaches) Proteomics and intermolecular interactions (excl. medical proteomics)
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Journals
Year Citation 2022 Chandrakanthan, V., Rorimpandey, P., Zanini, F., Chacon, D., Olivier, J., Joshi, S., . . . Pimanda, J. E. (2022). Mesoderm-derived PDGFRA⁺ cells regulate the emergence of hematopoietic stem cells in the dorsal aorta.. Nature cell biology, 24(8), 1211-1225.
Scopus9 WoS4 Europe PMC72022 Kapeni, C., Nitsche, L., Kilpatrick, A. M., Wilson, N. K., Xia, K., Mirshekar-Syahkal, B., . . . Ottersbach, K. (2022). p57Kip2 regulates embryonic blood stem cells by controlling sympathoadrenal progenitor expansion. Blood, 140(5), 464-477.
Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC22022 Srivastava, P., Romanazzo, S., Kopecky, C., Nemec, S., Ireland, J., Molley, T. G., . . . Kilian, K. (2022). Defined Microenvironments Trigger In Vitro Gastrulation in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Advanced Science, 10(5), 2203614-1-2203614-16.
Scopus9 WoS4 Europe PMC52021 Yeola, A., Subramanian, S., Oliver, R. A., Lucas, C. A., Thoms, J. A. I., Yan, F., . . . Pimanda, J. E. (2021). Induction of muscle-regenerative multipotent stem cells from human adipocytes by PDGF-AB and 5-azacytidine. Science advances, 7(3), eabd1929-1-eabd1929-12.
Scopus3 WoS1 Europe PMC32021 Tavassoli, H., Rorimpandey, P., Kang, Y. C., Carnell, M., Brownlee, C., Pimanda, J. E., . . . Chandrakanthan, V. (2021). Label-Free Isolation and Single Cell Biophysical Phenotyping Analysis of Primary Cardiomyocytes Using Inertial Microfluidics.. Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany), 17(8), 15 pages.
Scopus15 WoS8 Europe PMC22017 Unnikrishnan, A., Papaemmanuil, E., Beck, D., Deshpande, N. P., Verma, A., Kumari, A., . . . Pimanda, J. E. (2017). Integrative Genomics Identifies the Molecular Basis of Resistance to Azacitidine Therapy in Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Cell Reports, 20(3), 572-585.
Scopus93 WoS84 Europe PMC572016 Huang, Y., Thoms, J. A. I., Tursky, M. L., Knezevic, K., Beck, D., Chandrakanthan, V., . . . Pimanda, J. E. (2016). MAPK/ERK2 phosphorylates ERG at serine 283 in leukemic cells and promotes stem cell signatures and cell proliferation. Leukemia, 30(7), 1552-1561.
Scopus16 WoS17 Europe PMC142016 Thoms, J. A. I., Knezevic, K., Liu, J. J., Glaros, E. N., Thai, T., Qiao, Q., . . . Pimanda, J. E. (2016). Arrested hematopoiesis and vascular relaxation defects in mice with a mutation in Dhfr. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 36(8), 1222-1236.
Scopus5 WoS4 Europe PMC22016 Chandrakanthan, V., Yeola, A., Kwan, J., Oliver, R., Qiao, Q., Kang, Y., . . . Pimanda, J. (2016). Pdgf-ab and 5-Azacytidine induce conversion of somatic cells into tissue-regenerative multipotent stem cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(16), E2306-E2315.
Scopus36 WoS28 Europe PMC232015 Marks-Bluth, J., Khanna, A., Chandrakanthan, V., Thoms, J., Bee, T., Eich, C., . . . Pimanda, J. E. (2015). SMAD1 and SMAD5 expression is coordinately regulated by FLI1 and GATA2 during endothelial development. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 35(12), 2165-2172.
Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC62015 Rao, T. N., Marks-Bluth, J., Sullivan, J., Gupta, M. K., Chandrakanthan, V., Fitch, S. R., . . . Wagers, A. J. (2015). High-level Gpr56 expression is dispensable for the maintenance and function of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in mice. Stem Cell Research, 14(3), 307-322.
Scopus23 WoS21 Europe PMC132012 Pelekanos, R. A., Li, J., Gongora, M., Chandrakanthan, V., Scown, J., Suhaimi, N., . . . Little, M. H. (2012). Corrigendum to "Comprehensive transcriptome and immunophenotype analysis of renal and cardiac MSC-like populations supports strong congruence with bone marrow MSC despite maintenance of distinct identities" [Stem Cell. 8 (2012) 58-73]. Stem Cell Research, 9(1), 58.
Scopus462012 Pelekanos, R. A., Li, J., Gongora, M., Chandrakanthan, V., Scown, J., Suhaimi, N., . . . Little, M. H. (2012). Comprehensive transcriptome and immunophenotype analysis of renal and cardiac MSC-like populations supports strong congruence with bone marrow MSC despite maintenance of distinct identities. Stem Cell Research, 8(1), 58-73.
Scopus54 WoS92 Europe PMC752011 Chong, J. J. H., Chandrakanthan, V., Xaymardan, M., Asli, N. S., Li, J., Ahmed, I., . . . Harvey, R. P. (2011). Adult cardiac-resident MSC-like stem cells with a proepicardial origin. Cell Stem Cell, 9(6), 527-540.
Scopus331 WoS296 Europe PMC2602011 Thoms, J. A. I., Birger, Y., Foster, S., Knezevic, K., Kirschenbaum, Y., Chandrakanthan, V., . . . Pimanda, J. E. (2011). ERG promotes T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia and is transcriptionally regulated in leukemic cells by a stem cell enhancer. Blood, 117(26), 7079-7089.
Scopus79 WoS70 Europe PMC642009 Jin, X. L., Chandrakanthan, V., Morgan, H. D., & O'Neill, C. (2009). Preimplantation embryo development in the mouse requires the latency of TRP53 expression, which is induced by a ligand-activated PI3 kinase/AKT/MDM2-mediated signaling pathway (Biology of Reproduction (2009) 80, (286-294) DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.108.070102). Biology of Reproduction, 81(1), 233-242.
Scopus16 WoS16 Europe PMC112009 Jin, X. L., Chandrakanthan, V., Morgan, H. D., & O'Neill, C. (2009). Preimplantation embryo development in the mouse requires the latency of TRP53 expression, which is induced by a ligand-activated PI3 kinase/AKT/MDM2-mediated signaling pathway. Biology of Reproduction, 80(2), 286-294.
Scopus26 WoS26 Europe PMC202007 Chandrakanthan, V., Chami, O., Stojanov, T., & O'Neill, C. (2007). Variable expressivity of the tumour suppressor protein TRP53 in cryopreserved human blastocysts. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 5(1), 6 pages.
Scopus21 WoS19 Europe PMC152007 Li, A., Chandrakanthan, V., Chami, O., & O'Neill, C. (2007). Erratum: Culture of zygotes increases TRP53 expression in B6 mouse embryos, which reduces embryo viability (Biology of Reproduction (2007) 76, (362-367) DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.106.056838). Biology of Reproduction, 76(5), 924.
2007 Li, A., Chandrakanthan, V., Chami, O., & O'Neill, C. (2007). Culture of zygotes increases p53 expression in B6 mouse embryos, which reduces embryo viability. Biology of Reproduction, 76(3), 362-367.
Scopus41 WoS44 Europe PMC342007 Li, Y., Chandrakanthan, V., Day, M. L., & O'Neill, C. (2007). Direct evidence for the action of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)- trisphosphate-mediated signal transduction in the 2-cell mouse embryo. Biology of Reproduction, 77(5), 813-821.
Scopus28 WoS30 Europe PMC212006 Chandrakanthan, V., Li, A., Chami, O., & O'Neill, C. (2006). Effects of in vitro fertilization and embryo culture on TRP53 and Bax expression in B6 mouse embryos. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 4(1), 10 pages.
Scopus28 WoS31 Europe PMC212004 Lu, D. P., Chandrakanthan, V., Cahana, A., Ishii, S., & O'Neill, C. (2004). Trophic signals acting via phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase are required for normal pre-implantation mouse embryo development. Journal of Cell Science, 117(8), 1567-1576.
Scopus46 WoS44 Europe PMC30 -
Conference Items
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Preprint
Year Citation 2021 Srivastava, P., Romanazzo, S., Ireland, J., Nemec, S., Molley, T., Jayathilaka, P., . . . Kilian, K. (2021). Defined microenvironments trigger <i>in vitro</i> gastrulation in human pluripotent stem cells.
2020 Tavassoli, H., Kang, Y. C., Rorimpandey, P., Pimanda, J., Chandrakanthan, V., & Chan, P. P. Y. (2020). Capturing Neonatal Cardiomyocyte – Endothelial interactions on-a-Chip.
2017 Asli, N. S., Xaymardan, M., Patrick, R., Farbehi, N., Cornwell, J., Forte, E., . . . Harvey, R. P. (2017). PDGFRα signaling in cardiac fibroblasts modulates quiescence, metabolism and self-renewal, and promotes anatomical and functional repair.
| Date | Project/ No. | Investigators | Funding Body | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2027555 |
Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan A/Prof Dan Thomas Prof Stan Gronthos Dr Peggy Chan A/Prof Dominic Beck |
NHMRC- Ideas Grant | $1,330,585 |
| 2023 | MRV0036 | Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan | Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision for Centre of Research Excellence for Bone Marrow Biology | $ 200, 000 |
| 2018 | 1139811 |
Prof John Pimanda Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan Prof Edna Hardeman |
NHMRC- Project Grant | $694,428 |
| 2017 | Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan | Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales | $1,180,000 | |
| 2015 | Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan | Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales | $100,000 | |
| 2014 | 1061593 | Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan | NHMRC- New Investigator Grant | $591,226 |
| 2014 |
Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan Prof Bill Walsh Prof John Pimanda |
Australian Orthopedic Association Research | $25,000 |
Dr Chandrakanthan enjoys teaching and supervising Honours, Masters and PhD students in formal and informal sessions including regular Developmental Biology, Tissue Regeneration and Gene Regulation journal club meetings.
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2024 Principal Supervisor Capturing Molecular Regulatory Events of Haematopoietic Stem Cell Emergence From Endothelium Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Luke Bland -
Other Supervision Activities
Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name 2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor The Effects of Extracellular Matrix and Dynamic Stiffening on Cardiomyocyte Lineage Specification The University of New South Wales - Higher Doctorate Full Time Jake Ireland 2019 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Engineering Biomaterials to Model the Pancreatic Tumour Microenvironment The University of New South Wales - Higher Doctorate Full Time Stephanie Renee Nemec 2019 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Investigating Fate determination of Human adipocyte Derived induced Multipotent Stem cells (iMS Cells) in Human intervertebral disc matrix The University of New South Wales - Honours Full Time Ivanna Ting Mei SIM 2018 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Microfluidic Devices to Study Endogenous Cardiac Progenitor Cells and Cardiomyocytes The University of New South Wales and Swinburne University - Higher Doctorate Full Time Hossein Tavassoli 2016 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Evaluating the pluripotency of tissue regenerative multipotent stem (iMS) cells The University of New South Wales - Honours Full Time Prunella Rorimpandey 2014 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Temporal contribution of Pdgfra+ progenitors to coronary vascular endothelial and periendothelial cells The University of New South Wales - Higher Doctorate Full Time Young Chan Kang 2014 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Transforming Human Somatic cells into Multipotent Stem cells The University of New South Wales - Higher Doctorate Full Time Avani Yeola 2013 - 2013 Principal Supervisor The Origins of Pericytes and Endothelial cells from a novel endogenous cardiac-stem cell population during the mouse heart development The University of New South Wales - Honours Full Time Young Chan Kang 2012 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Characteristics of foetal liver stromal population during embryonic haematopoietic and vascular development The University of New South Wales - Higher Doctorate Full Time Qiao Qiao
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Board Memberships
Date Role Board name Institution name Country 2016 - 2022 Advisory Board Member UNSW Australia Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre (MWAC) The University of New South Wales Australia 2011 - 2022 Advisory Board Member Lowy Cancer Research Centre Animal Facility Operations Committee The University of New South Wales Australia 2011 - 2022 Board Member Transgenic Animal Unit The University of New South Wales Australia 2011 - 2022 Advisory Board Member Adult Cancer Program The University of New South Wales Australia -
Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2018 - 2018 Representative Commercialization meeting with Hebei Ming Jing Investment Co Ltd from China The University of New South Wales Australia 2017 - 2018 Representative Commercialization meeting with Qian-Rong Huang from Uren biotechnology Ltd from China The University of New South Wales Australia 2017 - 2018 Member Organizing Committee Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research Australia 2016 - 2018 Chair Professional Development and Junior Investigator events Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research Australia 2016 - 2016 Member Regenerative Medicine Go8 delegation visit to Japan The University of New South Wales Australia 2016 - 2017 Chair ASSCR, Stem Cell Australia and NSW Stem Cell Network Professional Development and Junior Investigator events, ASSCR Australia 2015 - 2015 Advisory Board Member Australian Academy of Science Theo Murphy Highflyers Think Tank Australian Academy of Science Australia 2009 - 2009 Member Organizing committee: Cardiology at the Frontier: Developmental, Stem Cells and Heart Failure Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Australia -
Event Participation
Date Event Name Event Type Institution Country 2018 - 2018 2018 ComBio- Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology Conference ComBio- Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology - -
Review, Assessment, Editorial and Advice
Date Title Type Institution Country 2023 - ongoing Journal of Visualised Experiments (JoVE) Peer Review MyJove Corp. United States 2020 - ongoing Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research Peer Review BioMed Central United States 2016 - ongoing Blood Journal Peer Review American Society of Hematology United States 2015 - ongoing Cell Peer Review Cell Press United States 2015 - ongoing Cell Stem Cell Peer Review Cell Press United States 2015 - ongoing Cell Reports Peer Review Cell Press United States 2015 - ongoing Nature Cell Biology Peer Review Nature Publications - 2015 - ongoing Nature Journal Peer Review Nature Publications United States 2015 - ongoing Stem Cell Reports Peer Review Cell Press United States 2014 - ongoing ARC Grant Assessment Australian Research Council Australia 2013 - ongoing NHMRC Peer Review NHMRC Australia
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External Profiles
