Honours projects – Paediatric Surgery

Supervisor: Professor Wei Cheng
Ph. 9594 5500
e-Mail: wei.cheng@med.monash.edu.au

Role of Hedgehog (Hh) in gut regeneration

Hh is a group of genes involved in mammalian embryogenesis and cancers. In gut, both Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and Indian hedgehog (Ihh) are expressed. It has been shown that Ihh interacts with gut stem cells. We are investigating their roles in gut regeneration using murine knock-in and knock-out models. This may potentially help gut healing, tissue engineering and stem cell therapy.

Genetic screening of patients with bladder exstrophy

Bladder exstrophy is a congenital disease whereby baby is born with its bladder exposed to the exterior. The patients usually requires many operations to correct the deformity. From the inheritance pattern, we speculate that there is high possibility of genetic abnormalities. Based on previous mouse knock-out model of bladder exstrophy, we have adopted a candidate gene approach to solve the problem. We are sequencing the DNA of the bladder exstrophy patients, searching for a specific gene mutation. The research will not only improve our understanding of the disease, it may also usher in new therapy to the disease.