Meet the team behind the MAGEC lab, a Phenomics Australia node specialising in in vivo genome engineering and disease modelling at Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI).
This story was first published at the ONJCRI website.
A key part of cancer research is working with the genetic information of organisms to understand how cancer develops and can be treated. And advances in biotechnology make it possible to manipulate the genome to produce the models required to answer some of the most challenging questions. However, high levels of expertise are required to conduct such experiments.
The Melbourne Advanced Gene Editing Centre (MAGEC), a Phenomics Australia node at the ONJCRI, specialises in generating sophisticated pre-clinical models that allow researchers to study human diseases at the genetic level before progressing to clinical trials.
What is a pre-clinical model?
A pre-clinical model is a tool used to study how diseases develop and to test potential treatments before they reach human trials. These models are designed to closely mimic key aspects of human biology, helping researchers evaluate safety, effectiveness, and underlying mechanisms of disease.
How do the MAGEC team manipulate the DNA of organisms?
With their cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing capabilities, the team designs models with features such as gene reporters (which allow scientists to track specific gene activity), conditional alleles (genes that can be turned on or off in specific contexts), and humanised genes (where parts of human DNA are inserted to better mimic human biology).
To date, the MAGEC platform has developed over 450 custom models of disease that have supported major research breakthroughs across a range of biomedical fields. These include studies that revealed new insights into tumour suppressor pathways, uncovered new targets for immunotherapies, as well as identified genetic drivers of viral infection and autoinflammatory disease. These high-impact publications have been shared in top journals such as Nature Medicine, Nature Immunology, and Cell, and continue to play a critical role in advancing our understanding of human disease and informing clinical research.
Hear from the talented team
Dr Andrew Kueh, Phenomics Australia Scientific Director, head of the MAGEC platform and designer of these complex genetic models, said that the workflow was initially challenging to establish. “Thankfully,” he said, “we were able to recruit very talented technicians in Kieran and Dan, and with Lin’s overwhelming experience we were able to persevere and establish our platform.”
Lin Tai is an expert in molecular biology and DNA cloning, a technique fundamental to the MAGEC laboratory’s gene editing workflow. Cloning is the process of making multiple, identical copies of a particular piece of DNA, and this is the first step in creating any genetic model of disease. “I love clo(w)ning around with the MAGEC lab,” said Lin, “and the most rewarding projects are the ones which are most challenging to clone. It is satisfying when I get a difficult clone completed.”
Kieran Lau and Dan Fayle are the highly skilled technicians who ensure these models are developed with precision. “What I’ve found unique working at the ONJCRI is the opportunity to work alongside people, rather than for them.” said Kieran. “It feels like a true team here. I’m proud that while we’ve come this far, we’re continuing to go further to serve the wider scientific community as best as we can.”
“The most valuable thing for me is getting the opportunity to learn and gain experience from all members of the team,” added Dan. “In the next few years, I hope MAGEC can produce many complex genetic models for ONJCRI.”
The team is excited about what they can achieve in the future. Andrew stated that “We can soon begin to test new methods and reagents to enhance gene targeting, hopefully making even more complex models possible in the future. The aim is to generate an ever-increasing toolkit of pre-clinical models to accelerate the translational research being undertaken within the institute and beyond.”
MAGEC is supported by Phenomics Australia and the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
Phenomics Australia provides a national centre of expertise and service provision to deploy CRISPR for increased speed, efficiency, and decreased cost for the production of animal strains carrying targeted mutations while maintaining the expertise for traditional transgenic technologies. To meet the high demand for this platform, Phenomics Australia offers genome editing services through five nodes across Australia, operating at Monash, ANU, ONJCRI, SAHMRI and PeterMac.
