Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Associate Professor Tracy Heng is a Laboratory Head in the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, and Deputy Head of the Immunity Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute. Tracy obtained her PhD at Monash University, developing strategies to improve immune function in ageing and disease. She undertook postdoctoral training with Profs Harald von Boehmer, Christophe Benoist and Diane Mathis at Harvard Medical School in Boston to establish the Immunological Genome Project (immgen.org), a widely utilised resource for immunological gene expression profiling. Tracy is a recipient of the 2015 Young Tall Poppy Science Award (Australian Institute of Policy and Science), the 2016 Metcalf Prize for Stem Cell Research (National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia), an ARC Postdoctoral (Industry) Fellowship and an NHMRC R.D. Wright Biomedical Career Development Fellowship. She currently leads a research program focussed on overcoming immunological barriers to stem cell therapies.
Research interests
Our research aims to understand the immune response to stem cell transplantation and cell therapy, with a view to overcome immunological barriers and other challenges for effective translation of such treatments.
Supervision interests
PhD Supervision:
PhD project available: Investigating the apoptotic cell secretome in mesenchymal stromal cell therapy.
Tejasvini Bhuvan (PhD Candidate): Investigating the role of the spleen in MSC-mediated immunosuppression of lung inflammation.
Di Zheng (Phd Candidate): Uncovering the immunoregulatory mechanisms of extravascular mesenchymal stromal cell treatment.
Joshua D'Rozario (PhD 2018): The regulation of the innate immune system by fibroblastic reticular cells.
Jessica Morison (PhD 2014): Low-intensity conditioning for the induction of allogeneic tolerance in aged recipients.
Honours/Master Supervision:
Dulakara Kannangara (MSc Candidate): Immunoregulatory effects of mesenchymal stromal cells – is there a role for apoptosis?
Assifa Hisana (MSc 2019): The role of apoptosis and efferocytosis in mesenchymal stromal cell therapy.
Georgia Wallis (First Class Honours 2018): Role of apoptosis in mesenchymal stromal cell therapy.
Darshana Cherian (First Class Honours 2018): Comparison of microcarriers for scale-up manufacture of mesenchymal stem cells.
Cara Anticevic (First Class Honours 2015): Improving donor stem cell engraftment in aged recipients with minimal conditioning.
Senora Mendonca (First Class Honours 2015): Investigating the role of mesenchymal stromal cells in allergic asthma.
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
- mesenchymal stem cells
- stromal cells
- T cells
- thymus
- immune ageing
- cell therapy
- immunomodulation
- haematopoietic stem cell transplantation
- bone marrow transplantation
- immune tolerance
- stem cells
- stem cell therapy
- immune function
- apoptosis
- cell death
- macrophages
Network
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Unexpected role of splenic macrophages in anti-inflammatory cell-based therapy
Heng, T., Payne, N., Mueller, S. & Powell, D.
1/01/23 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
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The mesenchymal stromal cell paradox – living cell therapy or dying therapeutic cell?
Heng, T., Mueller, S., Poon, I., Naderer, T., Creek, D. & Nagy, A.
1/01/22 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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SCIREQ inExpose system
Winship, A., Carroll, J., Bourke, J., Simonds, S., Heng, T., Hutt, K., Stringer, J., Western, P., Coelho Marques, F. & Abud, H.
1/10/21 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
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Dying stem cells as a mechanism in mesenchymal stromal cell therapy
1/01/19 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
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Secondary Lymphoid Organs in Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy: More Than Just a Filter
Zheng, D., Bhuvan, T., Payne, N. & Heng, T. S. P., 16 Jun 2022, In: Frontiers in Immunology. 13, 14 p., 892443.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Fibroblastic reticular cells provide a supportive niche for lymph node-resident macrophages
D'Rozario, J., Knoblich, K., Pérez Shibayama, C., Lütge, M., Cheng, H-W., Alexandre, Y. O., Roberts, D., Campos, J., Astarita, J., Dutton, E., Suliman, M., Denton, A. E., Turley, S. J., Boyd, R., Mueller, S., Ludewig, B., Heng, T. S. P. & Fletcher, A. L., Nov 2021, 33 p. bioRxiv.Research output: Other contribution › Research
Open Access -
Mesenchymal stromal cell apoptosis is required for their therapeutic function
Pang, S. H. M., D’Rozario, J., Mendonca, S., Bhuvan, T., Payne, N. L., Zheng, D., Hisana, A., Wallis, G., Barugahare, A., Powell, D., Rautela, J., Huntington, N. D., Dewson, G., Huang, D. C. S., Gray, D. H. D. & Heng, T. S. P., 11 Nov 2021, In: Nature Communications. 12, 1, 19 p., 6495.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access48 Citations (Scopus) -
Biological Considerations in Scaling Up Therapeutic Cell Manufacturing
Cherian, D. S., Bhuvan, T., Meagher, L. & Heng, T. S. P., 13 May 2020, In: Frontiers in Pharmacology. 11, 25 p., 654.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile27 Citations (Scopus) -
ImmGen at 15
The Immunological Genome Consortium, 23 Jun 2020, In: Nature Immunology. 21, 7, p. 700-703 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Other › peer-review
Open AccessFile32 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Australian Postdoctoral (Industry) Fellowship
Heng, Tracy (Recipient), 2011
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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Faculty Early Career Research Fellows Publication Prize
Heng, Tracy (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Metcalf Prize for Stem Cell Research
Heng, Tracy (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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R.D. Wright Biomedical Career Development Fellowship
Heng, Tracy (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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Young Tall Poppy Science Award
Heng, Tracy (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Frontiers in Immunology (Journal)
Tracy Heng (Editorial board member)
2022 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
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Regeneus Ltd (External organisation)
Tracy Heng (Member)
2018 → 2022Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Membership of industry collaboration/ network
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Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
Tracy Heng (Member)
2018 → 2021Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
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Australian Academy of Science Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank (Event)
Tracy Heng (Member)
2015Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Membership of an advisory panel/policy group/ board
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Mesoblast Limited (External organisation)
Tracy Heng (Member)
2012 → 2018Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Membership of industry collaboration/ network
Press/Media
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Metcalf Prize for Stem Cell Research
24/07/16 → 3/08/16
3 Media contributions
Press/Media: Profile/Interview
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Establishment of transplantation tolerance via minimal conditioning in aged recipients
20/09/14 → 11/11/14
3 items of Media coverage, 1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Alveolar macrophages are critical for the inhibition of allergic asthma by mesenchymal stromal cells
12/09/14
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature