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.
Associate Professor Curtis completed his training as a Clinical Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician through the University of Melbourne in 1994. He was awarded a NHMRC postgraduate scholarship at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research (1994-1997) which used animal models of hematologic malignancy to study oncogene co-operation. A/Professor Curtis was awarded a NHMRC CJ Martin fellowship for post-doctoral studies in the laboratory of Dr David Bodine at the NIH (1998-2001) to study the function of the non-histone DNA binding HMGB3 protein in adult hematopoietic stem cell. In 2001 A/Professor Curtis returned to Royal Melbourne Hospital to establish a research program focused on the molecular mechanisms that control the fate of normal and malignant hematopoietic stem cells. In 2011, he moved to the Department of Haematology, Monash University and Alfred Health as the head of the new Division of Blood Cancer Research of the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases.
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.
Research area keywords
- Blood Diseases
- Epigenetics
- Leukemia
- Stem Cell Biology
- Transplantation biology
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):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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PROPHECY: Profiling immune RespOnses in Paediatric and High risk populations to SARS-CoV-2
McMahon, J. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), van Zelm, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Khoury, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Drummer, H. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Mulley, W. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Holland, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Woolley, I. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ojaimi, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Rogers, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hoi, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Trauer, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sparrow, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Licciardi, P. V. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Giles, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Curtis, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Crawford, N. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Leech, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Westall, G. (Associate Investigator (AI)), O'Hehir, R. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Jones, A. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Morand, E. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Bosco, J. J. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Turner, S. (Associate Investigator (AI))
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 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
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A Randomized, Open Label Phase 3 Study Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of Venetoclax in Combination With Azacitidine After Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Subjects With Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) (VIALE-T).
Curtis, D. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)) & Malherbe, M. (Project Manager)
10/03/22 → 31/12/27
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. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Robson, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Curtis, D. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Peter, K. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Sashindranath, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Hill, G. R. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Dwyer, K. M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Sluyter, R. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Watson, D. (Associate Investigator (AI))
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. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), DiNardo, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Roberts, A. W. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Daver, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Reynolds, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Blombery, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Marlton, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Curtis, D. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/07/21 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
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Clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential and ageing-related diseases: the ASPREE-CHIP Extension (ASPREE-CHIP-XT) Study
McQuilten, Z. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Curtis, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), McNeil, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Woods, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Murphy, A. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wolfe, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lacaze, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bick, A. G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Le, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wood, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Singh, J. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Wong, N. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Bakshi, A. (Associate Investigator (AI))
Project: Research
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Ageing Through the Looking-Glass: The Different Flavours of Clonal Haematopoiesis
Singh, J. (Leading Author), Curtis, D. J., Thao, L. T. P., Wood, E. M. & McQuilten, Z. K. (Leading Author), Mar 2026, In: Aging Cell. 25, 3, 18 p., e70425.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Beijing, Baltimore, or both: a randomized draw
Curtis, D. J., 25 Jun 2026, In: Blood. 147, 26, p. 3125-3126 2 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review
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CHIP and inflammatory bowel disease: adding fuel to the fire
Curtis, D. J. & Singh, J., 14 May 2026, In: Blood. 147, 20, p. 2280-2281 2 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Other › peer-review
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Clonal Hematopoiesis and Kidney Function in the ASPREE Cohort
Singh, J. (Leading Author), Polkinghorne, K. R., Wolfe, R., Wong, N. C., Byars, S., Leichter, A., Lacaze, P., McNeil, J. J., Orchard, S. G., Phung, J., Ramshaw, H. S., Thao, L. T. P., Wetmore, J. B., Wood, E. M., Woods, R. L., Curtis, D. J. & McQuilten, Z. K. (Leading Author), Feb 2026, In: Kidney International Reports. 11, 2, 9 p., 103714.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
Sepsis risk associated with clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP): a secondary analysis of the ASPREE trial
Singh, J. (Leading Author), Eisen, D. P., Byars, S. G., Leichter, A., Lacaze, P., McNeil, J. J., Orchard, S. G., Phung, J., Ramshaw, H. S., Thao, L. T. P., Wolfe, R., Wood, E. M., Woods, R. L., Curtis, D. J. & McQuilten, Z. K. (Leading Author), Jul 2026, In: Leukemia. 40, 7, p. 1535-1537 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Research › peer-review