Kisha Sivanathan

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

My Research
Career
Publications
Grants and Funding
Contact

I am developing new ways to transplant patients with stem cell therapies without the need for drugs. Growing specialized adult stem cells (mesenchymal stem ells, MSC obtained from the bone marrow) in the presence of a unique immune signaling protein (IL-17) has generated a “supercharged” stem cell with superior abilities to dampen immune responses in cell and organ transplant patients. The use of these MSC in transplant patients may significantly reduce the dose of anti-rejection drugs required to prevent cell and organ rejection. By minimizing the dose of drugs, I aim to eliminate the risk of developing infections and cancer in these patients. I am recipient of the 2018 NHMRC CJ Martin Overseas Early Career Fellowship. Currently, I am conducting my fellowship at the Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women's Hospital, United States of America. I am studying the role of inflammation on MSC in different disease models.

Expand

Appointments

Date	Position	Institution name
2018	NHMRC CJ Martin Biomedical Postdoctoral Research Fellowship	University of Adelaide
2018	Exchange Research Scholar	Harvard Medical School
2017 - 2017	Postdoctoral Research Fellow	University of Adelaide
2016 - 2017	Postdoctoral work Experience	University of South Australia
2016 - 2016	University Research Associate	University of Adelaide
2014	Young Investigator Committee Member	Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Society, The Transplantation Society
2010 - 2011	Research Assistant (Casual)	University of Adelaide

Awards and Achievements

Date	Type	Title	Institution Name	Country	Amount
2017	Award	JDRF Australia 2017 Travel Grant Award	Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Australia	Australia	AUD4000
2017	Nomination	Nomination for the 2017 Fresh Science Award	Fresh Science	Australia	—
2017	Award	2017 TSANZ Young Investigator Award	Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ)	Australia	AUD860.71
2017	Nomination	Nominated for 2017 SA Science Excellence Awards – PhD Research Excellence Award	Department of State Development, Government of South Australia	Australia	—
2017	Award	Semi-finalist for the Channel 9 Young Achievers Award (Category: University of Adelaide Science and Technology)	Channel 9 Young Achievers Award	Australia	—
2017	Nomination	Nominated for the 2017 University of Adelaide Alumni Medal	University of Adelaide	Australia	—
2016	Recognition	Best Papers from 2016 Young Investigators by the Journal of Stem Cells and Top 3 Finalist for the Young Investigator Award	Journal of Stem Cells	United States	—
2016	Award	Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence	University of Adelaide	Australia	—
2016	Award	School of Medicine Research Travel Award	University of Adelaide	Australia	3000
2016	Award	Astellas Travel Award	—	—	—
2016	Award	Women’s Research Excellence Award	University of Adelaide	Australia	AUD 5000
2015	Scholarship	The Hospital Research Foundation Grant Funded Scholarship	The Hospital Research Foundation	Australia	AUD 25,849 per annum
2015	Award	The International Transplantation Science Mentee-Mentor Travel Awards	The Transplantation Society	Canada	USD 800
2015	Award	TSANZ President’s Prize Young Investigator travel grant	Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ)	Australia	AUD 900
2015	Award	TSANZ Young Investigator Award	Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand	Australia	AUD 780.92
2015	Award	American Transplant Congress Young Investigator Award	American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Society of Transplantation	United States	USD 1000
2015	Award	Poster of Distinction	American Society of Transplant Surgeons and The American Society of Transplantation	United States	—
2014	Award	TSANZ Young Investigator Award	Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand	Australia	AUD 701
2014	Award	The International Transplantation Science Mentee-Mentor Travel Awards	The Transplantation Society	Canada	USD 2000
2013	Award	The Transplantation Society Young Investigator Travel Award	The Transplantation Society	Canada	USD 2250
2012	Scholarship	International Adelaide Graduate Research Scholarship (AGRS)	University of Adelaide	Australia	86697.50
2011	Award	TSANZ Young Investigator award –	Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ)	Australia	AUD 551.10
2011	Award	Rapamune Quiz Winner	Pfizer	Australia	—
2011	Honour	Golden Key International Honor Society	Golden Key International Honor Society	Australia	—
2010	Scholarship	The Robinson Institute Petrucco Honours Scholarship	University of Adelaide	Australia	AUD 4000
2010	Scholarship	The Robinson Institute Petrucco Honours Scholarship	University of Adelaide	Australia	AUD 4000
2008	Achievement	Certificate of Excellence, Australian Degree Transfer Program (Science)	INTI International University, Malaysia	Malaysia	—
2008	Achievement	Certificate of Merit, Australian Degree Transfer Program (Science)	INTI International University, Malaysia	Malaysia	—
2007	Scholarship	Merit Scholarship,	INTI International University, Malaysia	Malaysia	—
2007	Achievement	Certificate of Excellence, Australian Degree Transfer Program (Science)	INTI International University, Malaysia	Malaysia	—
2005	Scholarship	Merit Scholarlarhip	INTI International University, Malaysia	Malaysia	—

Language Competencies

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
Malay Can read, write, speak and understand spoken
Tamil Can understand spoken

Language	Competency
English	Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
Malay	Can read, write, speak and understand spoken
Tamil	Can understand spoken

Education

Date	Institution name	Country	Title
2012 - 2016	University of Adelaide	Australia	PhD in Medicine
2010 - 2010	University of Adelaide	Australia	Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) - First Class
2009	Univeristy of Adelaide	Australia	Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science)

Postgraduate Training

Date Title Institution Country
2017 - 2017 University of Adelaide Career Development Program University of Adelaide Australia
Research Interests

Applied Immunology Autoimmunity Bioinformatics Biological Sciences Biotechnology Cell Biology Cellular Immunology Medical and Health Sciences Immunology and Infection Innovative Therapeutics

Date	Title	Institution	Country
2017 - 2017	University of Adelaide Career Development Program	University of Adelaide	Australia

Expand

Journals

Year	Citation
2020	Jarret, A., Jackson, R., Duizer, C., Healy, M., Zhao, J., Rone, J., . . . Flavell, R. (2020). Enteric Nervous System-Derived IL-18 Orchestrates Mucosal Barrier Immunity. Cell, 180(1), 50-63.e12. DOI Scopus2
2020	Lai, N., Musser, M., Pinho-Ribeiro, F., Baral, P., Jacobson, A., Ma, P., . . . Chiu, I. (2020). Gut-Innervating Nociceptor Neurons Regulate Peyer's Patch Microfold Cells and SFB Levels to Mediate Salmonella Host Defense. Cell, 180(1), 33-49.e22. DOI Scopus3
2019	Sivanathan, K., & Coates, P. (2019). Bone marrow-derived progenitor cells mediate immune cell regulation. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2029, 215-234. DOI Europe PMC1
2019	Pavathuparambil Abdul Manaph, N., Sivanathan, K., Nitschke, J., Zhou, X., Coates, P., & Drogemuller, C. (2019). An overview on small molecule-induced differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into beta cells for diabetic therapy. Stem Cell Research and Therapy, 10(1), 18 pages. DOI
2018	Sivanathan, K., & Coates, P. (2018). IL-17A–induced mesenchymal stem cells have promising therapeutic value for clinical translation. Kidney International, 93(4), 771-773. DOI Scopus1
2018	Stead, S., Kireta, S., McInnes, S., Kette, F., Sivanathan, K., Kim, J., . . . Coates, P. (2018). Murine and non-human primate dendritic cell targeting nanoparticles for in vivo generation of regulatory T-Cells. ACS Nano, 12(7), 6637-6647. DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2017	Sivanathan, K., Rojas-Canales, D., Grey, S., Gronthos, S., & Coates, P. (2017). Transcriptome profiling of IL-17A preactivated mesenchymal stem cells: a comparative study to unmodified and IFN-γ modified mesenchymal stem cells. Stem Cells International, 2017, 1025820-1-1025820-16. DOI Scopus8 WoS7 Europe PMC4
2017	Sivanathan, K., Gronthos, S., Grey, S., Rojas-Canales, D., & Coates, P. (2017). Immunodepletion and hypoxia preconditioning of mouse vompact bone cells as a novel protocol to isolate highly immunosuppressive mesenchymal stem cells. Stem Cells and Development, 26(7), 512-527. DOI Scopus3 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2016	Ng, J., Hynes, K., White, G., Sivanathan, K., Vandyke, K., Bartold, P., & Gronthos, S. (2016). Immunomodulatory properties of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal cells. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 117(12), 2844-2853. DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC8
2015	Sivanathan, K., Rojas-Canales, D., Hope, C., Krishnan, R., Carroll, R., Gronthos, S., . . . Coates, P. (2015). Interleukin-17A induced human mesenchymal stem cells are superior modulators of immunological function. Stem Cells, 33(9), 2850-2863. DOI Scopus39 WoS39 Europe PMC26
2014	Sivanathan, K., Gronthos, S., Rojas-Canales, D., Thierry, B., & Coates, P. (2014). Interferon-gamma modification of mesenchymal stem cells: implications of autologous and allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell therapy in allotransplantation. Stem Cell Reviews and Reports, 10(3), 351-375. DOI Scopus76 WoS74 Europe PMC58
2014	Lett, B., Sivanathan, K., & Coates, P. (2014). Mesenchymal stem cells for kidney transplantation. World Journal of Clinical Urology, 3(2), 87-95. DOI
2012	Coates, P., Auclair, D., Johnston, J., Brown, G., Russell, C., Furlong, T., & Bandhari, M. (2012). Cell Tracking of Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Injected in Ovine Kidney Autografts Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. TRANSPLANTATION, 94(10), 200. DOI

Conference Papers

Year	Citation
2015	Lett, B., Sivanathan, K. N., Auclair, D., Johnston, J., Russell, C. H., Olakkengil, S., . . . Coates, P. T. (2015). Imaging of iron nano-particle labelled mesenchymal stem cells in ovine heterotopic kidney transplantation. In XENOTRANSPLANTATION Vol. 22 (pp. S25). Melbourne, AUSTRALIA: WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2015	Lett, B., Sivanathan, K. N., Auclair, D., Johnston, J., Russell, C. H., Olakkengil, S., . . . Coates, P. T. (2015). IMAGING OF IRON NANO-PARTICLE LABELLED MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS IN OVINE HETEROTOPIC KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION.. In TRANSPLANTATION Vol. 99 (pp. S39). Melbourne, AUSTRALIA: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS.
2015	Sivanathan, K., Rojas-Canales, D., Gronthos, S., Grey, S., & Coates, P. T. (2015). MICROARRAY GENE PROFILE STUDY OF IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE INTERLEUKIN-17A PREACTIVATED HUMAN MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS.. In TRANSPLANTATION Vol. 99 (pp. S48). Lorne, AUSTRALIA: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS.
2015	Sivanathan, K., Rojas-Canales, D., Grey, S., Hope, C., Carroll, R., Gronthos, S., & Coates, P. (2015). Interleukin-17A Induced Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Are Superior Modulators of Immunological Function. In AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION Vol. 15 (pp. 1 page). Philadelphia, PA: WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2015	Sivanathan, K., Canales, D. R., Hope, C., Gronthos, S., Grey, S., & Coates, P. T. (2015). Gene microarray comparative analysis of interferon-gamma and interleukin-17a preconditioned human mesenchymal stem cells. In XENOTRANSPLANTATION Vol. 22 (pp. S25). Melbourne, AUSTRALIA: WILEY-BLACKWELL.

Conference Items

Year	Citation
2012	Sivanathan, K., Hope, C., Krishnan, R., & Coates, P. (2012). IFN-gamma Preconditioning Enhance the Immunosuppressive Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells To Inhibit PHA-Activated T Cell Proliferation.. Poster session presented at the meeting of AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION. Boston, MA: WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2011	Sivanathan, K., Coates, P., & Krishnan, R. (2011). Proinflammatory cytokines modify the immunosuppressive property of mesenchymal stem cells to inhibit phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-induced T cell proliferation. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 47th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology, as published in Nephrology. Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, South Australia: Wiley-Blackwell. DOI

Year

Citation

2012

Sivanathan, K., Hope, C., Krishnan, R., & Coates, P. (2012). IFN-gamma Preconditioning Enhance the Immunosuppressive Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells To Inhibit PHA-Activated T Cell Proliferation.. Poster session presented at the meeting of AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION. Boston, MA: WILEY-BLACKWELL.

2011

Sivanathan, K., Coates, P., & Krishnan, R. (2011). Proinflammatory cytokines modify the immunosuppressive property of mesenchymal stem cells to inhibit phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-induced T cell proliferation. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 47th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology, as published in Nephrology. Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, South Australia: Wiley-Blackwell.
DOI

Theses

Year Citation
2016 Sivanathan, K. N. (2016). Interleukin-17A induced human mesenchymal stem cells are superior modulators of immunological function. (PhD Thesis, University of Adelaide).

Year	Citation
2016	Sivanathan, K. N. (2016). Interleukin-17A induced human mesenchymal stem cells are superior modulators of immunological function. (PhD Thesis, University of Adelaide).

Feb 2018 - current: NHMRC CJ Martin Overseas Biomedical Early Career Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (CJ Martin) (AUD 417,193.32) - Grant ID: GNT1143655 - Institutions: Harvard Medical School (2yr) and University of Adelaide (2yr)

December 2017: JDRF International Postdoctoral Fellowship (USD 177,876) -Grant Key: 3-PDF-2018-589-A-N - *award declined due to acceptance of NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship

November 2015: Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Research Foundation 2016 Clinical Project Grant (AUD 50 000)

October 2015: The Hospital Research Foundation Grant Funded Scholarship (AUD 25,849 per annum)

August 2015: The Robinson Research Institute High Impact Paper Funding, University of Adelaide (AUD 2680.61)

May 2015: Special Purpose Fund (to attend the American Transplant Congress), Royal Adelaide Hospital (AUD 5000)

June 2014: The Walter Dorothy Duncan Trust Fund, University of Adelaide – Travel Grant (AUD 1500)

June 2013: The Walter Dorothy Duncan Trust Fund, University of Adelaide – Travel Grant (AUD 2200)

March 2012 - September 2015: International Adelaide Graduate Research Scholarship (AGRS), The University of Adelaide (full tuition and living allowances for 3.5 years – 2012: AUD23728; 2013: AUD24653; 2014: AUD25392; 2015: AUD25849 – TOTAL 86697.50) – awarded top 20 university-wide international student applicants

2010: The Robinson Institute Petrucco Honours Scholarship, University of Adelaide (AUD 4000) – awarded to top 6 international student applicants

January 2011: Loan repayment exemption for First Class Honours, National Higher Education Fund Corporation, Malaysia (RM 15 750.00 @ AUD4695.44)

Phone: 83137010
Email: kisha.sivanathan@adelaide.edu.au
Campus: North Terrace
Building: Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences, floor 7
Room: WS7071.11
Org Unit: Health and Medical Sciences Faculty Office

Kisha Sivanathan

Appointments

Awards and Achievements

Language Competencies

Education

Postgraduate Training

Research Interests

Journals

Conference Papers

Conference Items

Theses

Connect With Me

External Profiles