Overview
Background
Dr Abbas Shafiee is a tissue engineering & regenerative medicine scientist interested in translational cell-based and tissue engineering strategies to treat human diseases.
Dr Shafiee completed his PhD in Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani’s laboratory on stem cell biology. His research career during his PhD had key contributions to delineating endothelial niche and vascular stem cells in the human placental tissues, including the seminal discovery of an entirely new stem cell population, coined as ‘Meso-Endothelial Bipotent Progenitor’ and the identification of key driver signatures for endothelial and bipotential progenitor function (Stem Cell Reports 2018; The FASEB Journal 2017; Stem Cells 2016; Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2015).
In 2016, he joined Distinguished Professor Dietmar Hutmacher’s team and conducted multiple projects on cancer and bone tissue engineering. Dr Shafiee has developed innovative tissue engineered models intersecting concepts from stem cell biology, cancer, and tissue engineering to study species-specific cancer bone metastasis at an unprecedented level of detail. The results of his research have been published in: International Journal of Cancer 2018; Cancers 2018; Biomaterials 2018; Bone Research 2019; Biomaterials 2019; Applied Materials Today 2020; Biomaterials 2020; and Advanced Therapeutics 2020. Utilizing the tissue engineering concept, he was able to better understand the mechanisms of human cancer bone metastasis. Additionally, he was successful in obtaining project grants, including a project grants from Cooperative Research Centers (CRC), and developed a biomimetically designed scaffolds and investigated the interactions of multipotent mesenchymal stem/stromal cell and skin progenitors with 3D printed scaffolds. The application of 3D printed constructs in acute wound models decreased wound contracture and led to a significantly improved skin regeneration.
Dr Shafiee joined Metro North Health (MNH, Queensland Health) in 2020 and started a research program to develop, implement, and evaluate the applications of 3D printing, scanning, cell therapies, and biofabrication technologies in skin wound settings, and dermatology research. Using the 3D printing and organoid technologies he could develop new approaches to enhances physiological wound closure with reduced scar tissue formation (Biomaterials 2021, Small 2021, Advanced Healthcare Materials 2021, Advanced Healthcare Materials 2022) and advance the deramtology research (Advanced healthcare materials 2022, and Small 2024). Dr Shafiee is part of a national program, aiming to develop biofabrication technology to treat skin wounds (funded by MRFF, NHMRC). His groundbreaking organoid research resulted in establishing an international Consortium of Organoid Research in Dermatology, leveraging organoid technology to advance the understanding and treatment of genetic skin diseases. Dr Shafiee has supervised over 10 Masters and PhD students. Honours, Masters and PhD projects are available, please feel free to contact him.
Availability
- Dr Abbas Shafiee is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology
Research interests
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Hydrogels, Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
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Stem Cell Bioengineering
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Wound care
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Vascular development and homeostasis
Research impacts
My research program has been devoted to understanding human tissue development to develop advanced technologies for tissue regeneration.
- I discovered and developed a novel isolation strategy for a unique population, called "Meso-Endothelial Bipotent Progenitor," and published the first paper of its kind detailing the molecular signature of human placental vascular stem cells (lead author: Stem Cell Reports 2018, PMID: 29478891).
- Cancer biology studies often rely on xenografted models where the patient derived cancer cells do not interact with the microenvironment as they would in the patient. My innovative tissue engineered models developed via convergence of stem cell biology, and tissue engineering concepts provided an important platform to study fundamental aspects of bone development and cell-cell interactions in cancer by providing an environment with human hematopoietic and human bone cells. The results of my research have been published in several outstanding journals (Lead author: Int J Cancer 2018, PMID: 29659011. Senior Author: Bone 2022, PMID: 34023543; and Acta Biomater 2020, PMID: 33039595). Utilising the tissue engineering concept, I was able to better understand the molecular mechanism of cancer bone metastasis (Biomaterials 2020, PMID: 32109589 and Bone Res 2019, PMID: 31646018, Senior Author).
- In my current role, I applied this same concept in skin wound healing using cell therapies, and biofabrication technologies, of direct relevance to the current project. By combining 3D-printed biomimetic constructs and precursor cell delivery, I enhanced physiological wound closure with reduced scar tissue formation (Biomaterials 2021, PMID: 33307369, Lead/Senior author) attracting much interest from the research community. Additionally, I was successful in obtaining a research grant from the MRFF for skin bioprinting through combinations of stem/progenitors and extracellular matrix derivatives. Using human pluripotent stem cells and an organoid culture system I generated skin organoids, providing a foundation for future studies of human skin development, and reconstructive surgeries (Australian Provisional Patent).
Together, my research program has made significant contributions to the field of tissue development and regeneration, as evidenced by my publications in high-impact journals (>74 publications and > 100 conference abstracts, > 40 talks, >10 Invited talks) and citation record (Google Scholar: > 2700 citations, h-index > 31), and invitation to contribute papers or participate as guest editor (e.g., Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol), associate editor (in Interdisciplinary Medicine (Wiley), and Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine (Springer Nature)), and successful grant applications from top-tier funding agencies.
Works
Search Professor Abbas Shafiee’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Journal Article
Strategies to induce blood vessel ingrowth into skin grafts and tissue-engineered substitutes
Hosseini, Motaharesadat, Brown, Jason and Shafiee, Abbas (2022). Strategies to induce blood vessel ingrowth into skin grafts and tissue-engineered substitutes. Tissue Engineering. Part C. Methods, 28 (3), 113-126. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEC.2021.0213
2021
Journal Article
A humanized orthotopic tumor microenvironment alters the bone metastatic tropism of prostate cancer cells
McGovern, Jacqui A., Bock, Nathalie, Shafiee, Abbas, Martine, Laure C., Wagner, Ferdinand, Baldwin, Jeremy G., Landgraf, Marietta, Lahr, Christoph A., Meinert, Christoph, Williams, Elizabeth D., Pollock, Pamela M., Denham, Jim, Russell, Pamela J., Risbridger, Gail P., Clements, Judith A., Loessner, Daniela, Holzapfel, Boris M. and Hutmacher, Dietmar W. (2021). A humanized orthotopic tumor microenvironment alters the bone metastatic tropism of prostate cancer cells. Communications Biology, 4 (1) 1014, 1-14. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02527-x
2021
Journal Article
Engineering bioactive scaffolds for skin regeneration
Hosseini, Motaharesadat and Shafiee, Abbas (2021). Engineering bioactive scaffolds for skin regeneration. Small, 17 (41) 2101384, 2101384. doi: 10.1002/smll.202101384
2021
Journal Article
Immunomodulatory and therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells on organ dysfunction in sepsis
Khosrojerdi, Arezou, Soudi, Sara, Hosseini, Ahmad Zavaran, Eshghi, Fateme, Shafiee, Abbas and Hashemi, Seyed Mahmoud (2021). Immunomodulatory and therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells on organ dysfunction in sepsis. Shock, 51 (4), 423-440. doi: 10.1097/shk.0000000000001644
2021
Journal Article
Wound healing: from passive to smart dressings
Farahani, Mojtaba and Shafiee, Abbas (2021). Wound healing: from passive to smart dressings. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 10 (16) 2100477, 2100477. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202100477
2021
Journal Article
Convergence of 3D printed biomimetic wound dressings and adult stem cell therapy
Shafiee, Abbas, Cavalcanti, Amanda S., Saidy, Navid T., Schneidereit, Dominik, Friedrich, Oliver, Ravichandran, Akhilandeshwari, De-Juan-Pardo, Elena M. and Hutmacher, Dietmar W. (2021). Convergence of 3D printed biomimetic wound dressings and adult stem cell therapy. Biomaterials, 268 120558, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120558
2020
Journal Article
Mesenchymal stem cell therapies for COVID-19: current status and mechanism of action
Sadeghi, Somaye, Soudi, Sara, Shafiee, Abbas and Hashemi, Seyed Mahmoud (2020). Mesenchymal stem cell therapies for COVID-19: current status and mechanism of action. Life Sciences, 262 118493, 118493. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118493
2020
Journal Article
Correction: Humanized bone facilitates prostate cancer metastasis and recapitulates therapeutic effects of Zoledronic acid in vivo
Landgraf, Marietta, Lahr, Christoph A., Sanchez-Herrero, Alvaro, Meinert, Christoph, Shokoohmand, Ali, Pollock, Pamela M., Hutmacher, Dietmar W., Shafiee, Abbas and McGovern, Jacqui A. (2020). Correction: Humanized bone facilitates prostate cancer metastasis and recapitulates therapeutic effects of Zoledronic acid in vivo. Bone Research, 8 (1) 17, 17. doi: 10.1038/s41413-020-0092-5
2020
Journal Article
A 3D-printed biomaterials-based platform to advance established therapy avenues against primary bone cancers
Lahr, Christoph A., Landgraf, Marietta, Sanchez-Herrero, Alvaro, Dang, Hoang Phuc, Wagner, Ferdinand, Bas, Onur, Bray, Laura J., Tran, Phong, Holzapfel, Boris M., Shafiee, Abbas, McGovern, Jacqui and Hutmacher, Dietmar W. (2020). A 3D-printed biomaterials-based platform to advance established therapy avenues against primary bone cancers. Acta Biomaterialia, 118, 69-82. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.10.006
2020
Journal Article
Synergistic therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cells and tolerogenic dendritic cells in an acute colitis mouse model
Abbasi-Kenarsari, Hajar, Heidari, Neda, Baghaei, Kaveh, Amani, Davar, Zali, Mohammad Reza, Gaffari Khaligh, Sahar, Shafiee, Abbas and Hashemi, Seyed Mahmoud (2020). Synergistic therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cells and tolerogenic dendritic cells in an acute colitis mouse model. International Immunopharmacology, 88 107006, 107006. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107006
2020
Journal Article
Porous 3D printed scaffolds for guided bone regeneration in a rat calvarial defect model
Dang, Hoang Phuc, Vaquette, Cedryck, Shabab, Tara, Pérez, Román A., Yang, Ying, Dargaville, Tim R., Shafiee, Abbas and Tran, Phong A. (2020). Porous 3D printed scaffolds for guided bone regeneration in a rat calvarial defect model. Applied Materials Today, 20 100706, 100706. doi: 10.1016/j.apmt.2020.100706
2020
Journal Article
Coronavirus disease 2019: A tissue engineering and regenerative medicine perspective
Shafiee, Abbas, Moradi, Lida, Lim, Mayasari and Brown, Jason (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019: A tissue engineering and regenerative medicine perspective. Stem Cells Translational Medicine, 10 (1) sctm.20-0197, 27-38. doi: 10.1002/sctm.20-0197
2020
Journal Article
Engineering a humanised niche to support human haematopoiesis in mice: novel opportunities in modelling cancer
Sanchez-Herrero, Alvaro, Calvo, Isabel A., Flandes-Iparraguirre, Maria, Landgraf, Marietta, Lahr, Christoph A., Shafiee, Abbas, Granero-Molto, Froilán, Saez, Borja, Mazo, Manuel M., Paiva, Bruno, de Juan Pardo, Elena, Nicol, Andrew, Prosper, Felipe, Bray, Laura J. and McGovern, Jacqui A. (2020). Engineering a humanised niche to support human haematopoiesis in mice: novel opportunities in modelling cancer. Cancers, 12 (8) 2205, 2205-23. doi: 10.3390/cancers12082205
2020
Journal Article
Local doxorubicin delivery via 3D‐printed porous scaffolds reduces systemic cytotoxicity and breast cancer recurrence in mice
Dang, Hoang Phuc, Shafiee, Abbas, Lahr, Christoph A., Dargaville, Tim R. and Tran, Phong A. (2020). Local doxorubicin delivery via 3D‐printed porous scaffolds reduces systemic cytotoxicity and breast cancer recurrence in mice. Advanced Therapeutics, 3 (9) 2000056, 2000056. doi: 10.1002/adtp.202000056
2020
Journal Article
Targeted camptothecin delivery via silicon nanoparticles reduces breast cancer metastasis
Landgraf, Marietta, Lahr, Christoph A., Kaur, Ishdeep, Shafiee, Abbas, Sanchez-Herrero, Alvaro, Janowicz, Phillip W., Ravichandran, Akhilandeshwari, Howard, Christopher B., Cifuentes-Rius, Anna, McGovern, Jacqui A., Voelcker, Nicolas H. and Hutmacher, Dietmar W. (2020). Targeted camptothecin delivery via silicon nanoparticles reduces breast cancer metastasis. Biomaterials, 240 119791, 119791. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.119791
2020
Journal Article
Design and Fabrication of Three-Dimensional Printed Scaffolds for Cancer Precision Medicine
Shafiee, Abbas (2020). Design and Fabrication of Three-Dimensional Printed Scaffolds for Cancer Precision Medicine. Tissue Engineering Part A, 26 (5-6), 305-317. doi: 10.1089/ten.tea.2019.0278
2019
Journal Article
Microenvironment engineering of osteoblastic bone metastases reveals osteomimicry of patient-derived prostate cancer xenografts
Shokoohmand, Ali, Ren, Jiongyu, Baldwin, Jeremy, Atack, Anthony, Shafiee, Abbas, Theodoropoulos, Christina, Wille, Marie-Luise, Tran, Phong A., Bray, Laura J., Smith, Deborah, Chetty, Naven, Pollock, Pamela M., Hutmacher, Dietmar W., Clements, Judith A., Williams, Elizabeth D. and Bock, Nathalie (2019). Microenvironment engineering of osteoblastic bone metastases reveals osteomimicry of patient-derived prostate cancer xenografts. Biomaterials, 220 119402, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119402
2019
Conference Publication
Humanized bioengineered models of cancer metastasis
Shafiee, Abbas (2019). Humanized bioengineered models of cancer metastasis. Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society – Asia Pacific Chapter, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 14-17 October 2019.
2019
Journal Article
Humanized bone facilitates prostate cancer metastasis and recapitulates therapeutic effects of zoledronic acid in vivo
Landgraf, Marietta, Lahr, Christoph A., Sanchez-Herrero, Alvaro, Meinert, Christoph, Shokoohmand, Ali, Pollock, Pamela M., Hutmacher, Dietmar W., Shafiee, Abbas and McGovern, Jacqui A. (2019). Humanized bone facilitates prostate cancer metastasis and recapitulates therapeutic effects of zoledronic acid in vivo. Bone Research, 7 (1) 31, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41413-019-0072-9
2019
Journal Article
Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 7 exerts osteo-catabolic effects on bone grafts that outweigh its osteo-anabolic capacity
Lahr, Christoph A., Wagner, Ferdinand, Shafiee, Abbas, Rudert, Maximilian, Hutmacher, Dietmar W. and Holzapfel, Boris Michael (2019). Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 7 exerts osteo-catabolic effects on bone grafts that outweigh its osteo-anabolic capacity. Calcified Tissue International, 105 (3), 331-340. doi: 10.1007/s00223-019-00574-5
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Abbas Shafiee is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Simultaneous absorption and evaporation PBPK models for topical drugs and inactive agents
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Yousuf Mohammed
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Doctor Philosophy
Targeting epigenetic regulation to overcome immunotherapy resistance in cutaneous melanoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nikolas Haass, Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani, Associate Professor Jason Lee
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Doctor Philosophy
Computational modelling of confidence judgements across perceptual tasks and modalities
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nidhi Bansal, Associate Professor Rahul Sharma, Dr Negareh Ghasemi, Dr Carolyn Jacobs
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Abbas Shafiee directly for media enquiries about:
- 3D Printing
- Biomaterials
- Dermatology
- Regenerative Medicine
- Skin
- Stem cell
- Wound Healing
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