Adjunct Associate Professor
David Leavesley
This person does not currently hold a position at QUT.
Biography
Research theme: HealthResearch discipline: Cell and Molecular Biosciences
Research program: Tissue Repair & Regeneration
Research area
- Vitronectin-growth factor complexes in tissue repair
Associate Professor Leavesley and his team have discovered that cellular and tissue biological responses are enhanced when growth factors are complexed with the extracellular matrix protein, vitronectin. He has discovered that the enhanced response is triggered by the co-activation of cell surface receptors. In this project, he is producing novel recombinant chimeric proteins to mimic the effects the vitronectin-growth factor complex. These proteins will be useful for therapeutic, regenerative medicine and industrial cell culture applications and will be more cost effective than the current multimeric protein complexes.
- Multiprotein complexes for ex vivo tissue cultivation
Tissue grown ex vivo for clinical applications currently require animal-derived cells and/or non-defined products for their survival and propagation in the laboratory; these reagents can potentially infect patients who receive these ex vivo grown tissues. This project seeks to identify the essential components provided by these reagents in order to ultimately facilitate the development of a fully synthetic and defined culture system. This improvement will provide safer, cost-effective grafts and cell-based therapies that will benefit patients.
- Wound repair in diabetes and vascular disease
Non-healing (chronic) ulcers in the elderly and infirm represent an important community-wide challenge frequently result from vascular disease and diabetes. Patient quality of life is diminished and burdens the healthcare sector at least $1 billion per year. This research project is testing a new topical multiprotein therapy designed to have improved activity in wounds. The project is a collaboration between scientists and doctors in Australia (QUT, University of Western Australia) and Canada. Many wound types may ultimately benefit from this treatment.
Personal details
Discipline
Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Medical Biotechnology, Medical Biochemistry and Metabolomics
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy (University of London)
Selected publications
- Evans J, Infusini G, McGovern J, Cuttle L, Webb A, Nebl T, Milla L, Kimble R, Kempf M, Andrews C, Leavesley D, Salamonsen L, (2019) Menstrual fluid factors facilitate tissue repair: identification and functional action in endometrial and skin repair, FASEB Journal, 33 (1), pp. 584-605.
- Than T, Guanzon D, Leavesley D, Parker T, (2017) Association of extracellular membrane vesicles with cutaneous wound healing, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18 (5).
- Fan C, Dong Y, Su Y, Zhang X, Leavesley D, Upton Z, (2015) Shikonin reduces TGF-beta1-induced collagen production and contraction in hypertrophic scar-derived human skin fibroblasts, International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 36 (4), pp. 985-991.
- Simpson M, Treloar K, Binder B, Haridas P, Manton K, Leavesley D, McElwain S, Baker R, (2013) Quantifying the roles of cell motility and cell proliferation in a circular barrier assay, Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 10 (82), pp. 1-12.
- Schrobback K, Klein T, Crawford R, Upton Z, Malda J, Leavesley D, (2012) Effects of oxygen and culture system on in vitro propagation and redifferentiation of osteoarthritic human articular chondrocytes, Cell and Tissue Research, 347 (3), pp. 649-663.
- Upton Z, Wallace H, Shooter G, Van Lonkhuyzen D, Yeoh-Ellerton S, Rayment E, Fleming J, Broszczak D, Queen D, Sibbald G, Leavesley D, Stacey M, (2011) Human pilot studies reveal the potential of a vitronectin: Growth factor complex as a treatment for chronic wounds, International Wound Journal, 8 (5), pp. 522-532.
- Kashyap A, Hollier B, Manton K, Satyamoorthy K, Leavesley D, Upton Z, (2011) Insulin-like growth factor-I:Vitronectin complex-induced changes in gene expression effect breast cell survival and migration, Endocrinology, 152 (4), pp. 1388-1401.
- Xie Y, Rizzi S, Dawson R, Lynam E, Richards S, Leavesley D, Upton Z, (2010) Development of a three-dimensional human skin equivalent wound model for investigating novel wound healing therapies, Tissue Engineering, Part C: Methods, 16 (5), pp. 1111-1123.
- Wilson C, Clegg R, Leavesley D, Pearcy M, (2005) Mediation of Biomaterial-Cell Interactions by Adsorbed Proteins: A Review, Tissue Engineering, 11 (1-2), pp. 1-18.
- Maini P, McElwain D, Leavesley D, (2004) Traveling Wave Model to Interpret a Wound-Healing Cell Migration Assay for Human Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells, Tissue Engineering, 10 (3/4), pp. 475-482.
QUT ePrints
For more publications by David, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Awards
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2010
- Details
- Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence - Wound Management CRC Bid Team.'In recognition of exceptional sustained performance and outstanding achievement in leadership.'
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2012
- Details
- International Expert Adviser to Australia-China Tissue Engineering Centre, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.
- Type
- Committee Role/Editor or Chair of an Academic Conference
- Reference year
- 2011
- Details
- Invited Co-Chair, 4th Indo-Australian Conference on Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery Systems; 25th Anniversary Meeting of Society for Biomaterials & Artificial Organs - India (SBAO); 4th Annual Meeting of Society for Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine (India) (STERMI), February 10-12, 2011, Gujarat, India
- Type
- Committee Role/Editor or Chair of an Academic Conference
- Reference year
- 2012
- Details
- Convener and Chair of 5th Australian-Indian Biotechnology, Implants Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery Systems Conference, Barrosa Valley, April 2013.
- Type
- Other
- Reference year
- 2004
- Details
- Formation and successful IPO of a company, Tissue Therapies, on the Australian Stock Exchange. The company was formed specifically to commercialise the growth factor:vitronectin technology (VitroGro) which I co-discovered, patented and co-developed. The company listed on the ASX on March 19 2004 and unusually for a small biotech company, shares continue to trade well as the company is meeting its key commercialisation milestones. The technology for the serum-free cultivation of mammalian cells, including those used for the production of clinical skin grafts and the expansion of human embryonic stem cells, was licensed to Invitrogen Corporation in January 2007. Clinical trial of the technology for use as topical biologic to promote healing of diabetic and venous ulcers on the other hand is currently on-going in Toronto, Canada, and in Fremantle, Western Australia.
Research projects
- Title
- Modelling Cell Invasion Incorporating the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition: Exploring Therapies to Control Wound Healing and Cancer Progression
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP120100551
- Start year
- 2012
- Keywords
- Mathematical Biology; Mathematical Modelling; Multiscale Modelling; Cell Invasion
- Title
- Improved ex-vivo culture of keratinocytes for clinical applications
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 553028
- Start year
- 2009
- Keywords
- Clinical cell culture; Feeder-cell free; Burns; Wounds; Clinical Grafts
- Title
- Development and Pre-clinical Evaluation of a Novel Wound Dressing Treatment for Chronic Ulcers
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 497266
- Start year
- 2008
- Keywords
- Skin; Wound Healing; Venous Leg Ulcers; Tissue Regeneration; Matrix Metalloproteinase; Bisphosphonate
- Title
- Molecularly Engineered Cell-instructive Hydrogels for Enhanced Tissue Regeneration
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP0877992
- Start year
- 2008
- Keywords
- Wound Healing; Insulin Like Growth Factor; Vitronectin; Extracellular Matrix; Biomaterial; Hydrogel
Supervision
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Investigating the role of microRNAs in hypertrophic and keloid scar formation (2018)
- Extracellular Membrane Vesicles from Keratinocytes (2017)
- Investigating epidermogenesis in a human skin equivalent model (2013)
- A longitudinal assessment of chronic wound fluid to detect biochemical indicators of healing (2010)
- Ex Vivo Investigation of Novel Wound Healing Therapies and Development of a 3-D Human Skin Equivalent Wound Model (2009)
- IGF: VN Complexes and their Role in Breast Cell migration (2008)
- In vitro examination of vitronectin, insulin-like growth factor, insulin-like growth factor binding protein complexes as treatments to accelerate the healing of diabetic ulcers (2008)
- Mediation of Osteoblast Responses to Titanium Roughness by Adsorbed Proteins (2005)