Ongoing
Research and Extra-Departmental Activities
1. Stem-Cell Trans-differentiation and Expansion:
Researchers: Dr Pierre Schembri Wismayer and undergraduate students
Funding: Internal – UoM
Summary: Cord blood is collected with maternal consent (and ethical approval). Cord blood cells will be cultured with different stromal cells isolated from different sources. These diverse stroma will be studied for their ability to expand hematopoietic progenitor cells ex vivo, as will chromatin -modifying agents, such as demethylatiing agents and histone deacetylase inhibitors and different biological/semi-synthetic matrices. All the above agents will also be tested for their effects on stem cell trans-differentiation. Stem cells and matrices will also be combined to produce biological tissue substitutes, such as skin.
2. Gene
regulation in differentiation and disease
Researchers: Dr Pierre Schembri Wismayer and post-graduate student Byron Baron
Funding: Internal – UoM
Summary: Differences in gene expression underpin all functions of the body in health as well as in disease. An important part of the puzzle is to understand the regulation of gene expression resulting in these patterns and the subsequent phenotypes. In cancer, differences in gene regulation and gene expression are responsible for the behaviours of cancer - longevity (stem cell effect) and metastasis - which often kill patients. Learning how to control these genes will lead to effective treatments.
Most of our work involves regulation of transcription factor activity during leukaemia differentiation which may also play a role in some congenital diseases like Down’s Syndrome.
3.
Cancer research
Researchers: Dr Pierre Schembri Wismayer co-supervising or supervising with a
number of undergraduate medical students
and post-graduate pharmacy students
including in particular Elizabeth Zammit and Stephanie Darmanin ( these in collaboration with Prof Camilleri Podesta and
Mr
Funding: Internal – UoM
Summary: This work includes a number of diverse projects such as
a. research on the cytotoxic properties of Maltese plants
b. development of a local test for a particular hereditary cancer
c. identification of risk factors in Maltese breast cancer
d.
assessing cancer-dissemination
risk of certain clinical procedures.
4. Pedagogic
research
Researchers: Dr Pierre Schembri Wismayer together with Prof Camilleri Podesta and Prof Cuschieri and collaborating with other colleagues in the Physiology Dept (UoM) and in the Anatomy Dept ( University of Cambridge).
Funding: Internal
Summary: In this project, we analyse the feedback of students over a number of years and compare issues arising between different types of students, different universities and different departments.