PhD or Masters or Honours

High cholesterol can stimulate the proliferation of stem cells in bone marrow. This can lead to their exhaustion and perturb the ability of stem cells to regenerate tissues. Gut microbes also signal to bone marrow and regulate stem cell proliferation. Our studies following feeding mice a diet high in cholesterol demonstrate both a change in the gut microbiome and as well, stem cell proliferation. In this project we investigate how gut microbes and their metabolites can regulate bone marrow stem cell proliferation. The project will involve working with small animals and small animal surgery.

Supervisor: Prof. Jacob George, jacob.george@sydney.edu.au