A University of Queensland researcher has discussed a way in which patients may be able to grow-their-own vascular grafts to replace or bypass diseased vessels.
Director of UQ’s Centre for Research in Vascular Biology Professor Julie Campbell was one of the guest speakers at a 2020 Vision free public lecture that took place on the first day of UQ Research Week.
Also speaking was the Director of the University’s Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies Professor Graeme Turner who discussed his research into the all-pervasive medium of talkback radio.
The lecture, held on Monday, September 22 at the UQ Centre lecture theatre, offered an insight into future developments and highlighted the importance and diversity of world class UQ research.
It was chaired by the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor David Siddle.
Professor Campbell discussed the development of vascular grafts and what this area of tissue engineering would be like in the future.
Listen to Professor Julie Campbell's speech (MP3 format: 18Mb)
She said by 2020 surgeons would be able to design a multi-purpose vascular graft according to a patient’s requirements.
“In 2020 patients will be able to grow their own vascular grafts to the length and diameter required for their individual needs in the form of a designer artery,” she said.
Professor Campbell discussed her groundbreaking research that allows vascular grafts to be grown from cells of bone marrow origin.
She said the grafts, grown inside the patient to avoid rejection problems, take only two to three weeks to harvest. They can be grown repeatedly and are not susceptible to bursting.
This new technique uses the principles of granulation in which immune cells known as macrophages build a capsule around a foreign body to segregate it from the rest of the body.
With the help of Australian Research Council funding Professor Turner is conducting the most comprehensive study of Australian talkback radio to date.
“Everyone recognises the tremendous influence talkback has and as such it has become the format of choice for politicians around the country,” he said.
Listen to Professor Graeme Turner's speech (MP3 format: 18Mb)
Professor Turner said after compiling his history, which he hoped to publish in a series of articles, the next stage of the research would be to tape sample material and compare their treatment of the issues with other media outlets.
To download photos from the lecture visit: www.uq.edu.au/news/researchweek/researchweek-gallery.php
Media: For more information, contact Professor Julie Campbell (telephone 07 3365 4658 or 07 3365 1962, email: julie.campbell@uq.edu.au) or Professor Graeme Turner (telephone 0401 991 822 or 07 3365 7183, email: graeme.tuner@uq.edu.au) or Chris Saxby at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2479, email: c.saxby@uq.edu.au).