Recipient Of The Inaugural Australian Liver Foundation-Hospitality Industry Career Development Research Fellowship
Dr Richard G Ruddell
Hepatic Fibrosis Group,
The Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR)
Dr Richard Ruddell has been studying the processes that lead to liver fibrosis (scaring) for 10 years.
His work began with his first research position at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.
Working within the hepatology laboratory at the hospital he contributed to a number of discoveries on how genes important in the liver scaring process re-regulated.
In the hepatic stellate cell (a type of cell that plays an important role in liver scaring) he was the first to describe the expression and function of a chemical mediator on the surface of the hepatic stellate cell that plays an important role in their behaviour and growth.
Since May of 2003, Richard has been working as part of the Hepatic Fibrosis Group under the super- vision of Associate Professor Grant Ramm at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR).
Much of his work has been centred on understanding the role that iron and iron binding proteins play in the liver disease process. He is also investigating the role that hepatic stellate cells play in liver repair following injury.
In these areas Dr Ruddell has published several important research papers and reviews making significant contributions to the field of Hepatology.
In January of 2010 he became the inaugural recipient of the Australian Liver Foundation-Hospitality Industry Career Development Research Fellowship.
His research focus in the next 3 years is to investigate the function of a protein called ferritin.
Ferritin is thought to function mainly as an iron storage protein but work by Dr Ruddell and colleagues at QIMR has shown that its role within the body may extend far beyond simple iron storage having profound biological effects on the hepatic stellate cell. Dr Ruddell will continue to investigate the role of proteins expressed on the surface of the hepatic stellate cell that are known to interact with ferriin with the aim of understanding the implications on the scaring process in liver disease. After the hepatic stellate cell interacts with ferritin it is induced to release a number of protein mediators of inflammation into the fluids surrouning the cell. Dr Ruddell then plans to characterise these protein mediators and the effects that they might have on other resident liver cells.
Today scientists are able to engineer mice so as they lack specific proteins in the liver.
A mouse strain lacking a specific protein in the liver that contributes to the production of ferritin is available for study. Using these mice, Dr Ruddell plans to look at the role ferritin plays in mice that are fed excess iron in their diet.
Having too much iron in the liver can cause disease and even eventual death in humans.
Too much iron in the body is typically the result of a genetic mutation and may lead to a condition called haemochromatosis. Use of these mice will allow Dr Ruddell to understand more about the role excess ironp lays in liver disease and may eventually allow him to identify new ways to treat people suffering with haemochromatosis.
Another area that Dr Ruddell is interested in is the ability of the liver to repair itself even after many years of injury caused by factors such as poor diet, viral infection, environmental factors and genetic mutations that lead to severe chronic liver disease. Dr Ruddell is currently investigating cellular relationships that allow the liver to repair itself and re-grow new liver.
The Career Development Fellowship awarded by the Australian Liver Foundation through the generous support of the Hospitality Industry in Queensland will allow Dr Ruddell to continue his important work for a further 3 years.
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