Jus St John

Professor Jus St John

NHMRC Grant-Funded Researchr E

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences


My group's research focuses on how the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes interact during development in order that the cells, tissues and organs of the resultant offspring function efficiently. To do this, we employ a number of assisted reproductive technologies that alter the interactions between the two genomes throughout development; and are either used clinically or are at various stages of development or validation. We are applying the knowledge we accumulate from this work to develop reproductive strategies for women that suffer from repeated failed fertilisation outcome or embryo developmental arrest; and for those who are carriers of severe mitochondrial disorders that are at risk of having affected children.

2021 – 2025    NHMRC Ideas Grant (GNT2000723), Understanding the benefits and limitations of metaphase II spindle transfer (St. John J) $1,629,373.

2019 – 2022: NHMRC Project Grant (GNT1160106), Understanding how mitochondrial DNA contributes to embryo development (St. John J) $669,790

2018 – 2020: NHMRC Development Grant (GNT1136065), Improving oocyte mitochondrial DNA copy number to enhance female reproductive capacity (St. John J, McKenzie W, Western P, Rombauts L) $670,867.20.

2017 – 2018: The Winston Foundation (WF1), Developing a canine in vitro maturation culture system (St. John J) $42,000

2016 – 2018: OvaScience Inc. Waltham, USA. Renewal Grant, Safety of Mitochondrial Transfer (St. John J) $600,000.

2016 – 2019: ARC Discovery Grant(DP160102575), Diet influences the selective advantage of mitochondrial DNA mutations (Ballard B, St. John J, Smyth G) $313,600.00

2015 – 2017: NHMRC Project Grant(GNT1079309) - Metabolic and molecular basis of embryo signalling (Lane M, St. John J, Zander-Fox D) $397,077.00

2014 – 2016: Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation- Preventing the transmission of mutant mitochondrial DNA (St. John J) $25,000

2013 – 2016: OvaScience Inc- Determining the safety of homologous mitochondrial transfer in a mini-pig model (St. John J) $1,250,000

2013 – 2015: NHMRC Project Grant(GNT1041471) - Understanding mitochondrial DNA segregation and transmission (CIA - St. John J; Trounce I) $492,863

2013 – 2015: Zwart Estate- The role of mtDNA variants in glioblastoma (St. John J) $133,131

2013 – 2016: Australian Pork Limited- Defining the role of mitochondrial DNA in pig fertility (St. John J) $92,637

2013 – 2014: Johnston Estate- The generation of stem cell models of mtDNA disease (St. John J) $170,000

2012 – 2014: NHMRC Project Grant(GNT1022222) - Understanding the pathogenesis of mitochondrial disease using iPS cells (Thorburn D, St. John J, Frazier A, Nisbet D, White S) $618,675

2011: Marian and EH Flack Trust- Funding to purchase a High Resolution Melting Curve Analysis Machine(White S, Western P, St. John J, Watkins DN) $30,000.

  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2019 - 2020 Member Mitochondrial Donation Expert Working Committee National Health and Medical Research Council Australia
    2018 - 2021 Member Embryo Research Licencing Committee National Health and Medical Reseach Council Australia
  • Position: NHMRC Grant-Funded Researchr E
  • Email: jus.stjohn@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences, floor 5
  • Org Unit: Medical Sciences

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