Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Dr Jose Polo encourages us to think of the human genome as a library. As an epigeneticist, expert in the way changes occur in our genes beyond the basic structure of DNA, Jose believes who we are is dependent on how the smallest, most fundamental pieces of our biology are able to open and close the great books of our genetic library.
The field of epigenetics is a complex one, rooted in the mechanisms and structures of gene expression deep within our body's cells. To the uninitiated this world can seem inaccessible, and so Jose has become accustomed to explaining just what his work entails, and how its real-world applications could shape the future of medical science.
At its most fundamental, Jose's work is driven by a desire to identify what really makes a cell a cell.
While different cells of the body have the potential to make different organs, the genomes, a catalogue of our hereditary information encoded as DNA are exactly the same.
'How is the cell of the skin different to the cell of the heart?" Jose says.
"The answer is not the genome, which is common throughout the body, but the genes that are expressed. There is no such thing as naked DNA, it is inside a nucleus and wrapped around nucleosomes and forming different complexes with proteins giving rise to the chromatin. This packaging determines the transcription or 'readability' of the genes.
Through this concept of a gene's readability Jose's interpretation of the genome as a library takes shape.
'Both skin cells and heart cells have the same library - what is different are the books that can be read," Jose says.
"If each book is a gene, then whatever book is open is going to be transcribed. So if the keratinocyte (skin cells) books are open they get read and the cell become a keratinocyte,' Jose says.
Jose's work involves studying how these genetic books are opened and closed. He believes it is this process that makes us what we are - and what gives the cell its identity. And it this belief that offers a new direction for medical science.
Jose's desire to pursue this new line of thinking led him to leave his native Argentina for the US to do his PhD at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Under the supervision of Dr. Ari Melnick, he investigated how a family of transcription factors inhibit the reading of certain genes and led to the development of an anti-lymphoma agent. This is now going to clinical trials to be developed into a therapeutic.
He then was recruited to the group of Konrad Hochedlinger at Harvard University to work in the epigenetic and cellular mechanisms that govern reprogramming of adults cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
His worked attracted the interest of the Monash community in Australia and he is currently group leader in the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology. Further developing his genetic ideas into the realm of stem cell science, Jose is exploring the possibilities that will come out of the department's collaborative environment. He has already planned collaborations with researchers within the centre, as well as at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, CSIRO, the University of Michigan and Cornell University.
Research interests
The laboratory of reprogramming and epigenetics is led by Dr. Jose M. Polo who has recently relocated to Monash from Harvard University and has established his own research group.
The laboratory is interested in the transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms that govern pluripotency and the reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
Being able to specifically reprogram a mature cellular program into a pluripotent state and from there back into another particular cellular program provides a unique tool to dissect the molecular and cellular events that permit the conversion of one cell type to another. Moreover, iPS cells and the reprogramming technology are of great interest in the pharmaceutical and clinical settings, since the technology can be used to generate animal and cellular models for the study of various diseases as well as in the future, to provide tailor made cells for patients for use in cellular replacement therapies. However, despite being one of the major growing research fields very little is known about the epigenetic and transcriptome changes occurring during this process. We are particularly interested in three aspects:
- The kinetics and universality of the epigenetic changes occurring during reprogramming.
- The in vitro and in vivo plasticity potential of the generated cells.
- The composition and assembly kinetics of transcriptional regulation complexes at pluripotency genes.
Using different molecular, biochemical and cellular techniques our lab is aiming to dissect the nature and dynamics of such events.
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):
External positions
University of Adelaide
Research area keywords
- pluripotent stem cells
- iPS cells
- reprogramming
- bioinformatics
- transcription factors
- epigenetics
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Engineering bone marrow-derived stromal cells to express anti-fibrotic cargo as a treatment for chronic kidney disease
Samuel, C. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Ricardo, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kerr, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Li, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Jenkin, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hudson, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Polo, J. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Widdop, R. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Nikolic-Paterson, D. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Teo, L. (Associate Investigator (AI))
1/01/23 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
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Reprograming of different cell types into podocytes
Polo, J. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Bertram, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Rackham, O. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Meagher, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Ruka, D. (Project Manager)
3/01/22 → 12/01/26
Project: Research
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ARC Training Centre for Cell and Tissue Engineering Technologies
Meagher, L. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Bray, L. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Voelcker, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Risbridger, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hutmacher, D. W. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Batra, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Dargaville, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Elnathan, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Saifzadeh, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Heng, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Aguilar, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lim, R. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Klein, T. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Fisher, A. (Partner Investigator (PI)), McGovern, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Dislakis, V. (Partner Investigator (PI)), McLellan, A. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Dulleck, U. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Steck, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Scott, W. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Corrie, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Thissen, H. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Cameron, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Haupt, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Werner, C. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Levett, P. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Whyte, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Forsythe, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Smith, N. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Frith, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hicks, C. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Rackham, O. J. L. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Sohal, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Polo, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), May, M. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Reimers, N. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Toh, Y.-C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), McKee, J. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Adams, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Obschonka, M. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Subramaniam, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Yambem, S. D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Russell-Bennett, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bertram, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Schierjott, R. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Hollands, J. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Currie, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ball, G. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Trapani, J. A. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Cadarso Busto, V. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Loessner, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ecker, R. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Boyd, R. L. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Lim, J. (Partner Investigator (PI))
Australian Research Council (ARC), PolVax Pty Ltd, Cartherics Pty Ltd, TissueGUARD GmbH, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, TissueGnostics GmbH
13/01/21 → 30/11/27
Project: Research
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Tracking the single molecule dynamics of transcription factors in a living cell
Hinde, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Polo, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Harvey, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Blewitt, M. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Fischer, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Arkell, R. M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bell, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Gleeson, P. A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Watt, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Prawer, S. D. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & McMillan, P. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Australian Research Council (ARC)
28/05/21 → 27/05/22
Project: Research
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How do transcription factors control cell fate transitions?
Polo, J. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Knaupp, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Schittenhelm, R. (Chief Investigator (CI))
10/05/21 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
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Liver specification of human iPSC-derived endothelial cells transplanted into mouse liver
Yap, K. K., Schröder, J., Gerrand, Y.-W., Dobric, A., Kong, A. M., Fox, A. M., Knowles, B., Banting, S. W., Elefanty, A. G., Stanley, E. G., Yeoh, G. C., Lockwood, G. P., Cogger, V. C., Morrison, W. A., Polo, J. M. & Mitchell, G. M., May 2024, In: JHEP Reports. 6, 5, 18 p., 101023.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Reprogramming fibroblast into human iBlastoids
Tan, J. P., Liu, X. & Polo, J. M., Aug 2024, In: Nature Protocols. 19, 8, p. 2298-2316 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Single nuclei transcriptomics of the in situ human limbal stem cell niche
Davidson, K. C., Sung, M., Brown, K. D., Contet, J., Belluschi, S., Hamel, R., Moreno-Moral, A., dos Santos, R. L., Gough, J., Polo, J. M., Daniell, M. & Parfitt, G. J., Dec 2024, In: Scientific Reports. 14, 1, 12 p., 6749.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Superior Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Generation through Phactr3-Driven Mechanomodulation of Both Early and Late Phases of Cell Reprogramming
Chowdhury, M. M., Zimmerman, S., Leeson, H., Nefzger, C. M., Mar, J. C., Laslett, A., Polo, J. M., Wolvetang, E. & Cooper-White, J. J., 2024, In: Biomaterials Research. 28, 19 p., 0025.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
The apparent loss of PRC2 chromatin occupancy as an artifact of RNA depletion
Healy, E., Zhang, Q., Gail, E. H., Agius, S. C., Sun, G., Bullen, M., Pandey, V., Das, P. P., Polo, J. M. & Davidovich, C., 26 Mar 2024, In: Cell Reports. 43, 3, 13 p., 113858.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access14 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Career Development Fellowship - NHRMC, Australia
Polo, J. (Recipient), 2012
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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Deans Award for Excellence in Research (Early Career), Faculty of Medicine, Monash University
Polo, J. (Recipient), 2014
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Invited as one of eight promising early career scientist (from all scientific disciplines across the world) of the Future Leaders program of the Science and Technology in Society Forum in Kyoto. Assistance to this meeting include: Nobel awardees, Prime Ministers, Deans and Directors from the top universities globally and Institutes, Pharma, Banks, Energy companies, CEO/CSO, etc.
Polo, J. (Recipient), 2014
Prize: National/international honour
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Larkins Fellowship - Monash University, Australia
Polo, J. (Recipient), 2011
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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Merit Award and Plenary Speaker from the American Society of Haematology. These are two of the most prestigious awards in the field.
Polo, J. (Recipient), 2004
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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ComBio 2017
Polo, J. (Organiser)
2017Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
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ComBio 2014
Polo, J. (Organiser)
2014Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Lead organizer of the Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research Annual Meeting. November 2014
Polo, J. (Organiser)
2014Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Co-Organizer of the Cell Reprogramming Australia Annual Conference (Brisbane 2013, Melbourne 2014, Brisbane 2015)
Polo, J. (Organiser)
2013 → 2015Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Press/Media
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Cells study helping to crack the code to Alzheimer’s disease
26/11/19
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Cells study helping to crack the code to Alzheimer's disease
26/11/19
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Alzheimer's Disease Gene Expression Varies by Brain Cell Type
25/11/19
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Stem cell reprogramming mystery clarified by new findings
11/12/17
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Stem cell reprogramming mystery clarified by new findings
8/12/17
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities