Dr Gavin Tjin

Prior to joining Professor Louise Purton’s Stem Cell Regulation laboratory at SVI, I completed a Bachelor (Honours) in Biomedical Science and a PhD in Medicine at the University of Sydney, and then spent one year as a light microscopist at the University’s Sydney Microscopy and Microanalysis Unit.

My research is on the bone marrow microenvironment, which is integral to the regulation of blood cell production. Every year, approximately 2000 Australians undergo a bone marrow transplant to treat blood cell cancers and cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These treatments can cause prolonged periods of low blood cell counts, increasing the risk of bleeding, infection and, in severe cases, death. Low blood cell counts are not only life-threatening, but they are also a major reason for delaying further cycles of cancer treatment and significantly contributes to the failure of chemotherapy to control cancers.

These treatments cause damage to the bone marrow microenvironment which regulates blood cell production, but we need to better understand what is damaged. Like a production line, if even one of the parts (aka microenvironment cells) are damaged, it can cause severe downstream effects.

I use advanced microscopy techniques to research the interactions between haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and the bone marrow microenvironment, and how these are altered by cancer treatments. Through my research, I aim to improve the outcomes of cancer patients undergoing cancer therapies.

Key achievements

2022   Harold Mitchell Travel Award; International Society of Experimental Hematology, New Investigators Oral presentation award, 2^nd place

2021   Co-supervised two Honours students to completion (First class); SVI Rising Star Award

2019   Co-supervised a Masters student to completion (First class)

2018   Australian Microscopy and Microanalysis Society, Bursary award