
Dr Nathan Rout-Pitt
NHMRC Grant-Funded Researcher A
Adelaide Medical School
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I I completed my PhD at the University of Adelaide in 2015 with a focus on bone disease in the group of lysosomal storage disorders, Mucopolysaccharidoses.
In late 2015, I joined the CF Airway Research Group (CFARG) where I lead the vector production core and have produced lentiviral vectors for CFARG and Australia-wide laboratories. During this time I have developed and published a method to scale up vector production by as much as 5x. I also developed and published methods for bronchoscopic delivery of liquids such as lentiviral vectors, cells and drugs to single lobes of rat lungs.
In 2018 I began investigating airway remodelling and fibrosis development in CF lungs. A $75,000 Women's and Children's foundation grant allowed me to begin exploring the alterations in cellular architecture of our D508 and 510X CF rat models and their sensitivity to the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which under chronic inflammatory conditions leads to fibrosis.
I briefly left CFARG for a year (2021) to return to lysosomal storage disorders and bone disease, this time looking at Gaucher disease before returning. Upon my return, I have continued with my previous investigations into the developmental/mechanistic pathways leading to lung fibrosis in CF. I have now begun a new project investigating CF bone disease (CFBD) which typically presents with decreased bone mineral volume and short stature and higher risk of fractures. Decreased trabecular number around the growth plate of long bones and previously reported issues at the hypertrophic zone, there is a need to better understand mechanisms at play in the growth plate that could be leading to CFBD.
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Honours projects currently available
Project 1
Title: Identifying altered pathways that lead to increased lung stiffness in CF rats models
Description: CF rat models 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. The aim of this project is to identify markers and pathways of lung fibrosis in our CF rat models using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and gene expression techniques. This will allow us to visualise the effectiveness of our CFTR gene addition therapies at the molecular level.
Co-supervisor(s): Dr Martin Donnelley, Nikki Reyne
Projects available for: Honours and Masters
Location: Women's and Children's Hospital
Research project start: Semester 1 or 2
Project 2
Title: Identifying differences in the growth plates of CF rats and the outcomes it has on CF bone disease
Description: Children with CF as young as six years of age have reduced bone mineral density and a ten-fold increase in fracture risk compared to non-CF children, due to a condition termed CF related Bone Disease (CFBD), which has a prevalence of 17% in CF patients. The increased incidence of fractures in CF patients is clinically significant as they can contribute to negative outcomes for the patient. For example, a diagnosis of severe bone disease can mean that a patient becomes ineligible to receive a lung transplant as the post-surgery mortality rates are increased.
Our recent investigations using CT imaging have found abnormalities in the bone development of the CF rats, including decreased bone volume/total volume (BV/TV), trabecular number and trabecular separation in the proximal area of tibiae in our CF rat model. Other research has shown shorter long bone length in CF rats. Both of these findings are likely due to issues with growth plate function and subsequent endochondral ossification.
The aim of this project is to a) determine histological differences between normal and our Phe508del and knockout rat models, and b) identify changes in the different zones of the growth plate through gene expression and immunohistochemistry.
Co-supervisor(s): TBC
Projects available for: Honours and Masters
Location: Women's and Children's Hospital
Research project start: Semester 1 or 2
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Appointments
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 -
Education
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 -
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 System
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Journals
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Conference Papers
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.
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Conference Items
Year Citation 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 In Vitro 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.
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 Childrens 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 mentored many placement, honours, masters and PhD students. In 2021 I supervised my first student in the Masters of Biotechnology program within the School of Biological Sciences and was 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'
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 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
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2017 - 2020 Representative EMCR council Robinson Research Institute Australia -
Memberships
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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External Profiles