Dr Don Newgreen

contact details

  Dr Don Newgreen
  Embryology
  Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
  Royal Children's Hospital
  Flemington Road
  Parkville Victoria 3052

  T +61 3 8341 6276
  F +61 3 9387 1349
  E don.newgreen@mcri.edu.au

biography

Don Newgreen heads the Embryology Laboratory at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia. He obtained his PhD from Melbourne University (Zoology) and has held post-doctoral, group leadership and faculty positions at the Institute d'Embryologie et Biologie Moleculaire (Paris, France), the Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology (Tübingen, Germany), Department of Cell and Structural Biology, Manchester University (UK), and at Department of Paediatrics, Westmead Hospital (Sydney).

Don has published over 120 scientific articles and is editor of the journals Cells Tissues Organs; Development Growth & Differentiation; Frontiers in Autonomic Neuroscience; and Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical. Recently, he has been on the International Advisory Boards for the 2nd Royan Summer School on Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Tehran, Iran (July 2011), the 6th International Chick Meeting, Edinburgh, UK (Sept 2011) and the 5th International Conference on Epithelio-Mesenchymal Transitions (TEMTIA-V), Singapore (October 2011).

research focus & interest

The major research interest of the Embryology Group has been cell movement and the epithelio-mesenchymal transition, this being the process whereby a sessile cells is transformed into a motile cell. We have concentrated on two archetypal examples. The first is the normal cell movement of the embryonic neural crest system. Most recently we have concentrated on the neural crest cell migration process that produces the nervous system in the gastro-intestinal tract (the enteric nervous s ystem), since this involves the longest example of embryonic cell migration, and which has an important birth defect called Hirschsprung disease, in which migration is curtailed.

The second example is the pathological cell movement exhibited by cells from malignant (invasive) cancers, especially breast carcinoma. Though one is normal and embryonic and the other is pathological and adult, they share astonishing genetic, molecular and cell behavioural similarities: the cancer cells have re-activated dormant embryonic programs but in an uncontrolled manner. The particular questions we pursue are: How do cells start moving? How is cell movement controlled in speed? Do cells know where to go, and if so, how? How do cells recognise their destination and how do they stop moving? Can sessile cells be re-activated to move, and if so how, and can this be controlled? To answer these questions we use techniques from experimental embryology to cell and molecular biology to mathematical modelling.

This has produced new understandings of the way cell movement starts and how it is guided, and has thrown light on enteric nervous system development and on Hirschsprung Disease. We are also investigating neural crest stem/progenitor cell therapies in mouse models and in human patient cells as a potential novel treatment for this birth defect.

publications

Anderson RB, Newgreen DF and H.M. Young HM (2006) Neural Crest and the Development of the Enteric Nervous System. In: Neural Crest Induction and Differentiation, edited by Jean-Pierre Saint-Jeannet. ©2005 Eurekah.com. and reproduced in Adv Exp Med Biol 589: 181-196

Young HM, Newgreen DF, Burns AJ (2006) The development of the enteric nervous system in relation to Hirschsprung's disease. In: Embryos, Genes and Birth Defects (2nd ed.). P Ferretti, A Copp, C Tickle and G Moore, (eds.) John Wiley and Sons (Chichester, England), pp 263-300.

Simpson MJ, Landman KA and Newgreen DF (2006) Chemotactic and diffusive migration on a non-uniformly growing domain: Numerical algorithm development and applications. J Comput Appl Math 192: 282-300

Simpson MJ, Landman KA, Hughes BD, Newgreen DF (2006) Looking inside an invasion wave of cells using continuum models: Proliferation is the key. J. Theor. Biol. 243: 343-360.

Lebret SC, Newgreen DF, Waltham MC, Price JT, Thompson EW, Ackland ML (2006) Induction of myoepithelial phenotype in human breast carcinoma PMC42-LA cells by extracellular matrix and stromal cells. In Vitro Cellular & Dev. Biol. 42:298-307

Dieu T, Newgreen DF (2007) Chicken wings and brachial plexus. Neurol. Res. 29: 225-230.

Simpson MJ, Zhang DC, Mariani M, Landman1 KA, Newgreen DF (2007) Cell proliferation drives neural crest cell invasion of the intestine. Dev Biol. 302: 553-568  (includes cover illustration)

Lebret SC, Newgreen DF,, Thompson EW, Ackland ML (2007) Induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in PMC42-LA human breast carcinoma cells by carcinoma-associated fibroblast secreted factors. Breast Cancer Res.9: R19 e-version doi:10.1186/bcr1656

Landman KA , Simpson MJ, Newgreen DF (2007) Mathematical and experimental insights into the development of the enteric nervous system and Hirschprungs disease. Development, Growth and Differentiation 49: 277-286.

Kokkinos MI, Wafai R, Wong MK, Newgreen DF, Thompson EW, and Waltham M (2007) Vimentin and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human breast cancer - observations in vitro and in vivo. Cells Tissues Organs 185: 191 - 203.

Young HM, Anderson, RB, Newgreen D (2008) Neural Crest. In Larry R. Squire, Editor-in-Chief, Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, Academic Press, Oxford, 2008.

Newgreen DF, Howard MJ, Nishi R (2008) Development of the autonomic nervous system. In Larry R. Squire, Editor-in-Chief, Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, Academic Press, Oxford, 2008.

Abud HE, Young HM, Newgreen DF (2008) Analysing tissue and gene function in intestinal organ culture. Methods Mol Biol 468, 275-286.

Bonney T, Hutson J, Southwell B, and Newgreen D (2008). Update on congenital versus acquired undescended testes: incidence, diagnosis and management. ANZ J Surg 78, 1010-3.

Davies B, d'Udekem Y, Ukoumunne OC, Algar EM, Newgreen D F, and Brizard CP (2008). Differences in extra-cellular matrix and myocyte homeostasis between the neonatal right ventricle in hypoplastic left heart syndrome and truncus arteriosus. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 34, 738-44.

Binder BJ, Landman KA, Simpson MJ, Newgreen DF (2008) Modeling proliferative tissue growth: A general approach and an avian case study. Phys. Reviews E 78, 031912 (2008)  (editorial selection for the October 1, 2008 issue of Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research)

Bonney, T., Southwell, B., Donnath, S., Newgreen, D., Hutson, J., 2009. Orchidopexy trends in the paediatric population of Victoria, 1999-2006. J. Ped. Surg. 44, 427-431.

Higgins, S., Wong, S.H., Richner, M., Rowe, C.L., Newgreen, D.F., Werther, G.A., Russo, V.C., 2009. Fibroblast growth factor 2 reactivates G1 checkpoint in SK-N-MC cells via regulation of p21, inhibitor of differentiation genes (Id1-3), and epithelium-mesenchyme transition-like events. Endocrinology 150, 4044-4055.

Hugo HJ, Wafai R, Blick A, Thompson EW and Newgreen DF (2009) Staurosporine augments EGF-mediated EMT in PMC42-LA cells through actin depolymerisation, focal contact size reduction and Snail1 induction - A model for cross-modulation. BMC Cancer. 9:235

Hotta R, Pepdjonovic L, Anderson RB, Zhang DC, Bergner AJ, Leung J, Pébay A, Young HM, Newgreen DF, Dottori M (2009) Small molecule induction of neural crest stem cells from human embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells. Stem Cells 27, 2896-2905.

Nation, T.R., Balic, A., Southwell, B.R., Newgreen, D.F., Hutson, J.M., 2009. The hormonal control of testicular descent. Pediatr Endocrinol Rev 7, 22-31.

Young HM, Anderson, RB, Newgreen D (2009) Neural Crest. In Developmental Neurobiology. Ed. Greg Lemke, Academic Press. ISBN 9780123750815. Pp 271-281.

Newgreen DF, Howard MJ, Nishi R (2009) Development of the autonomic nervous system. In Developmental Neurobiology. Ed. Greg Lemke, Academic Press. ISBN 9780123750815. Pp 321-333.

Simkin, J, McKeown, SJ; Newgreen DF (2009) Focal in ovo electroporation. Dev Dynamics 238, 3152-3155.

Zhang DC, Brinas IM, Binder, B, Landman, KA and Newgreen DF (2010) Neural crest regionalisation for enteric nervous system formation: Implications for Hirschsprung's Disease and stem cell therapy. Dev Biol 339: 280-294.

Davies, B, Elwood, NJ, Li, S, Cullinane, F, Edwards, GA, Newgreen, DF, Brizard, CP (2010) Human cord blood stem cells enhance neonatal right ventricular function in an ovine model of right ventricular training. Ann Thorac Surg 89, 585-593, 593 e581-584.

Hotta R, Anderson RB., Kobayashi K, Newgreen DF, Young HM, (2010) Effects of tissue age, presence of neurones and endothelin-3 on the ability of enteric neurone precursors to colonize recipient gut: implications for cell-based therapies. Neurogastroenterol Motil.22, 331-e86.

Kokkinos M, Murthi P, Wafai R, Thompson EW, Newgreen DF (2010) Cadherins in the human placenta - Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and placental development Placenta 31, 747-55.

Balic A., Nation T., Buraundi S., Farmer P., Newgreen D., Southwell, B., Hutson, J. (2010) Hidden in plain sight: the mammary line in males may be the missing link regulating inguinoscrotal testicular descent. J Pediatr Surg 45, 414-418; discussion 418.

Thompson EW, Runyan R, Savagner P, Newgreen DF. (2011) Out of the desert: the 4th TEMTIA Meeting on new advances in development, fibrosis and cancer. Cells Tissues Organs.; 193(1-2): 4-7.

Hugo HJ, Kokkinos MI, Blick T, Ackland ML, Thompson EW, Newgreen DF. (2011) Defining the E-cadherin repressor interactome in epithelial-mesenchymal transition: the PMC42 model as a case study. Cells Tissues Organs. 193(1-2): 23-40.

Landman KA, Fernando AE, Zhang D, Newgreen DF. Building stable chains with motile agents: Insights into the morphology of enteric neural crest cell migration. J Theor Biol. 2011; 276(1): 250-68.

Soon L, Tachtsidis A, Fok S Williams ED, Newgreen DF, Thompson EW (2011) The continuum of Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition  - Implication of hybrid states for migration and survival in development and cancer. In Cancer Metastasis: Biologic Basis and Therapeutics. Ed: Danny Welch, Dr. Lyden, and Dr. Psaila. Cambridge University Press, NY.

Azar WJ, Azar SHX, Higgins S, Hu J, Hoffman AR , Newgreen DF, Werther GA, Russo VC (2011) IGFBP-2 enhances VEGF gene promoter activity and consequent promotion of angiogenesis by neuroblastoma cells. Endocrinology ( EN-11-1121 )

Nation TR, Buraundi S, Farmer PJ , Balic A , Newgreen D, Southwell BR, Hutson JM (2011) Development of the gubernaculum during testicular descent in the rat. Anat Rec; 294: 1249-60.

Nation T, Buraundi S, Balic A, Southwell, B, Newgreen D, Hutson J (2011) Androgen and estrogen receptor expression in the spinal segments of the genitofemoral nerve during testicular descent.. J. Ped. Surg. 46: 1539-1543.

Hackett-Jones EJ, Landman KA, Newgreen DF, Zhang DC (2011) On the role of differential adhesion in gangliogenesis in the enteric nervous system. J Theor Biol 287: 148-159.

Newgreen D, Grounds M, Jesuthasan S, Rashidi H, Familari M (2011) Report on 2nd Royan Institute International Summer School on Developmental Biology and Stem Cells Tehran, 18-22nd July 2011. Differentiation (accepted 6/10/2011).