Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Associate Professor Curtis is Head of the Division of Blood Cancer Research of the Austraiian Centre for Blood Diseases and member of the Clinical Haematology Service. His research program uses mouse models to dissect the genetic and epigenetic regulation of normal and leukemic stem cells. He is currently an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow B. He has published over 60 papers including articles in Science, Cell Stem Cell, PNAS and Blood.
The research program of A/Prof Curtis aims to identify improved therapies for acute leukemia and related blood cancers through the use of mouse models to dissect the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that control the fate of normal and malignant hematopoietic stem cells. In addition, A/Prof Curtis uses ENU-mutagenesis for discovery of genes that regulate hematopoiesis. Specific areas of focus include the bHLH transcription factor complex that drives T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the mechanisms of oncogene-induced apoptosis in myelodysplasia, the role of epigenetic changes in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasia and the therapeutic potential of small molecule inhibitors of the protein arginine methyltransferase, PRMT5.
A/Professor Curtis has 60 peer reviewed papers including first or senior author publications in Science (2010), Cell Stem Cell (2009), Nature Structural and Molecular Biology (2009) and Blood (2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015). In 2011, A/Professor Curtis was awarded a Charles and Sylvia Viertel Senior Research Fellowship and honorary NHMRC Practitioner and Victorian Cancer Agency Fellowships. A/Prof Curtis has been on the editorial board for the journal Stem Cells since 2007. A/Prof Curtis has been an invited speaker to conferences including the International Society of Experimental Hematology, New Directions in Leukemia Research and Lorne Cancer Conference. A/Prof Curtis has been an external reviewer for numerous NHMRC project grants since 2005 as well as on the scientific advisory panel for review of Leukemia Foundation and the NSW Cancer Council Program grants. In addition to his research program, he is an active clinical haematologist and bone marrow transplant physician at Alfred Health.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research area keywords
- Blood Diseases
- Epigenetics
- Leukemia
- Stem Cell Biology
- Transplantation biology
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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PROPHECY: Profiling immune RespOnses in Paediatric and High risk populations to SARS-CoV-2
McMahon, J., van Zelm, M., Khoury, G., Drummer, H., Mulley, W., Holland, A., Woolley, I., Ojaimi, S., Rogers, B., Hoi, A., Trauer, J., Sparrow, M., Licciardi, P. V., Giles, E., Curtis, D., Crawford, N., Leech, M., Westall, G., O'Hehir, R., Jones, A., Morand, E., Bosco, J. J. & Turner, S.
Monash University, Alfred Health, Monash Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Burnet Institute (Australia), Spleen Australia, National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA) Incorporated, Musculoskeletal Australia , Safer Care Victoria (SCV)
1/06/22 → 30/05/26
Project: Research
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A novel single treatment for two serious complications of allogeneic stem cell transplantation: acute graft-versus-host disease and sinusoidal obstruction syndrome.
Nandurkar, H., Robson, S., Curtis, D., Karlheinz, P., Sashindranath, M., Hill, G. R., Dwyer, K. M., Sluyter, R. & Watson, D.
1/01/22 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
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INTERCEPT (Investigating Novel Therapy to target Early Relapse and Clonal Evolution as Pre-emptive Therapy in AML): a multi-arm, precision-based, recursive, platform trial
Wei, A., DiNardo, C., Roberts, A. W., Daver, N., Reynolds, J., Blombery, P., Marlton, P. & Curtis, D.
1/07/21 → 30/06/26
Project: Research
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A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Clinical Outcomes, Antiviral Activity, Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics of JNJ-53718678 in Adult and Adolescent Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients with Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection of the Upper Respiratory Tract (FREESIA)
Curtis, D., Kliman, D., Kennedy, N. & Thompson, K.
15/01/20 → 31/12/25
Project: Research
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Low-intensity venetoclax-based salvage as a bridge to allogeneic stem cell transplant in patients with acute myeloid leukemia failing conventional intensive chemotherapy
Ashby, M., Fleming, S., Teh, T. C., Tiong, I. S., Inam, S., Curtis, D. J., Patil, S., Vassili, C. & Chua, C. C., Jan 2024, In: Leukemia Research. 136, 4 p., 107429.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Peripheral Blood Haploidentical Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Older Adults with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes Demonstrates Long Term Survival: Results from Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies
Abadir, E., Othman, J., Kwan, J., Gottlieb, D. J., Kennedy, G. A., Bajel, A., Doocey, R., Perera, T., Watson, A. M., Bardy, P. G., Greenwood, M., Curtis, D. J., Tran, S., Moore, J. & Hamad, N., Mar 2024, In: Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. 30, 3, p. 334.e1-334.e7 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Cellular distribution of IDH mutations in AML during morphologic remission
Ramanan, R., Tiong, I. S., Ivey, A., Ong, D. M., Brown, F. C., Chua, C., Das, T. & Curtis, D., Jan 2023, In: Leukemia Research. 124, 3 p., 106993.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review
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Genome-wide transcription factor–binding maps reveal cell-specific changes in the regulatory architecture of human HSPCs
Subramanian, S., Thoms, J. A. I., Huang, Y., Cornejo-Páramo, P., Koch, F. C., Jacquelin, S., Shen, S., Song, E., Joshi, S., Brownlee, C., Woll, P. S., Chacon-Fajardo, D., Beck, D., Curtis, D. J., Yehson, K., Antonenas, V., O'Brien, T., Trickett, A., Powell, J. A., Lewis, I. D., & 9 others , 26 Oct 2023, In: Blood. 142, 17, p. 1448-1462 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
14 Citations (Scopus) -
Nogo receptor-Fc delivered by haematopoietic cells enhances neurorepair in a multiple sclerosis model
Ye, S., Theotokis, P., Lee, J. Y., Kim, M. J., Nheu, D., Ellen, O., Bedford, T., Ramanujam, P., Wright, D. K., McDonald, S. J., Alrehaili, A., Bakhuraysah, M., Kang, J. H., Siatskas, C., Tremblay, C. S., Curtis, D. J., Grigoriadis, N., Monif, M., Strittmatter, S. M. & Petratos, S., 2 Mar 2023, In: Brain Communications. 5, 2, 24 p., fcad108.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access5 Citations (Scopus)