ASCC Research Portfolio

Kathy Traianedes

Dr Kathy Traianedes (PhD) has a research background in the molecular biology and cell biology of matrix, specifically in the bone field, at St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, the University of Melbourne, and was awarded a NHMRC Dora Lush Scholarship. Dr Traianedes spent over seven years in the USA initially as an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellow with post-doctoral positions at Harvard University and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. During this time, she worked on establishing transgenic animal models directed at bone specific alterations in cadherin expression as well as isolation of a specific purified integrin heterodimeric receptor for use as a screening tool for a combinatorial peptide library to identify peptide sequences that are recognized by osteoclasts for potential therapeutic intervention in osteoporosis. Her work continued in bone in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of Texas Health Science Centre at San Antonio where she examined the role of leukotrienes in bone cell function, including glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. She was also involved in a collaborative project examining the RANK/RANK ligand signalling in Multiple Myeloma.

This academic experience was followed by three years in industry at Osteotech Inc, one of the largest bone processing companies in the USA, as the Allograft Scientist undertaking collaborative research studies in bone matrix and a product development role. This work resulted in four US patent filings and the production of Grafton Plus, Grafton Plugs and Grafton Scoliosis Matrix, all introduced into the orthopaedic industry. This diverse role provided an avenue for therapeutic outcomes from research activities that directly impacted patient lives. Prior to her PhD, Dr Traianedes obtained a Masters Degree in Biochemistry working in diabetes research. This work focused on the role of high fat diets in exacerbation of type II diabetes in a rat model (hepatic glucose overproduction). This work also related directly to patient intervention and still relevant today. She has 23 peer-reviewed journal articles and 3 book chapters during her career as well as four patent applications. Her current research focus addresses homing of cells to biological matrices to identify key components necessary for tissue repair as well as cell-matrix interactions affecting cell differentiation and proliferation potential of a variety of cell types.

Contact Details
Email: kathy.traianedes@stemcellcentre.edu.au