International collaboration for stem cell scientists

24 October 2007

Professor Richard Boyd will lead an international collaboration in stem cell sciences.

Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories (MISCL) have been awarded a prestigious Federal Government grant to establish a joint Australia-China Centre for Excellence in Stem Cell Sciences with Peking University.

Researchers will apply their collective skills at not only developing ways of fighting major degenerative diseases, infections and cancer but also integrate stem cell-based therapies for the replacement of cells and tissues destroyed by disease.

The project is part of the Federal Government's International Science Linkages program. With matching funds from Monash, the centre will bring together outstanding scientists from Monash and Peking Universities.

More than $1 million will be invested in a three-year funding arrangement, matched by the Chinese Government, which funds the Peking node.

The fusion of these two highly complementary groups will create a world-class research environment, which will have enormous mutual benefit to both countries.

Project manager from Monash University, Professor Richard Boyd, said MISCL and the Stem Cell Research Centre at Peking University were leaders in the rapidly expanding area of stem cell research.

Scientists working at the Stem Cell Research Centre at Peking University.

"The new centre will have a major impact on fostering the education of medical research students and postdoctoral fellows and creating greater opportunities for their career development nationally and internationally," he said.

"It again re-enforces Monash University's international leadership position in stem cells, and provides us with a unique opportunity to integrate at the scientific, clinical and commercial levels with one of the most exciting regions for medical research and development, globally."

The centre will capitalise on the skills of MISCL and study ways in which stem cell biology can be applied to the improvement of immune defence mechanisms, the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes, the recovery of cancer patients particularly following chemotherapy and the study of chronic liver disease including cirrhosis.