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Professor Simon Cool
Professor

Simon Cool

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 54175

Overview

Background

Professor Simon Cool is Professor of Bioengineering and Director of the UQ Advanced Cell Therapy Manufacturing Initiative in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Queensland.

Professor Cool began his scientific career at the University of Queensland more than 20 years ago. He received his BSc (hons) and PhD degrees from the University of Queensland, where he subsequently held a faculty position in the School of Biomedical Sciences. His areas of studies have included age-related changes in the structure of bone and teeth and the extracellular matrix compartment of skeletal tissue that guide stem cell behaviour and wound repair. Professor Cool was invited to join the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore in 2003 as a Principal Investigator. He then joined A*STAR’s Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) in 2008, shortly after its inception, to further his research in regenerative medicine, serving as Senior Principal Investigator of the Glycotherapeutics Group. In October 2020, Professor Cool re-joined the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) as a Research Director, Glycotherapeutics, where he focused on developing novel glycosaminoglycan biomolecules that enhance wound repair and control adult human mesenchymal stem cell activity.

Professor Cool has 117 patent applications across 26 families with 51 granted in the fields of glycosaminoglycan biochemistry, regenerative medicine and stem cell science. He has more than 150 publications and continues to foster strong strategic collaborations both nationally and internationally with academic and industry groups. He has a strong biomanufacturing and translational focus with experience in taking glycosaminoglycan-based devices through discovery RnD on to pre-clinical and clinical testing. Professor Cool also has an entrepreneurial and licensing background having successfully spun-off some of his technology to a US-based regenerative medicine start-up company, SMC Biotechnology Ltd. Professor Cool holds a Visiting Professor appointment at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore and an Adjunct Professor (Research) appointment in the Orthopaedic Department at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Prior to his move back to UQ, he previously held the position of Treasurer, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society, Asia Pacific Chapter (TERMIS-AP) and Treasurer, Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS). He also held senior leadership positions in several Singapore-based R&D programmes, notably as Director, Allogeneic Stem Cell Manufacturing (ASTEM) and Theme Leader in Advanced Manufacturing for Biological Materials (AMBM). Prof Cool currently serves on the Editorial Board of the journals Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, and is Asia-Pacific Regional Editor for Stem Cells and Development.

Availability

Professor Simon Cool is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science (Honours), unknown
  • PhD, unknown

Research interests

  • Manufacturing highly-potent stem cells

    Developing novel media, assays, and processes to enable the scale-up manufacturing of cell therapy products.

  • Rejuvenation of ageing stem cells

    Developing innovative methods to rejuvenate ageing stem cells to generate best-in-class cell banks for therapeutic use.

  • Synthesis of glycosaminoglycans as medical devices

    Developing scalable methods to manufacture fully synthetic glycosaminoglycans for use as media additives, biocoatings and medical devices for treating disease, injury or trauma.

  • Modification of stem cells to improve their therapeutic utility

    Altering stem cell surfaces to encourage protein binding and drive stem cell fate decisions for improved therapeutic efficacy.

  • Enhanced angiogenesis through glycosaminoglycan administration and medical device formulation

    Developing pro-angiogenic microenvironments using novel glycosaminoglycan formulations.

Research impacts

I have over 25 years of leadership in identifying novel heparan sulphate (HS) glycosaminoglycan (GAG) sugars within stem cell niches and repairing tissues. These sugars sequester, protect, hold, and present key growth factors to stem cells. I have successfully used this complexation paradigm to unlock pathways critical to stem cell biology, mainly signalling cascades essential for maintaining naïve phenotypes. I have also shown that this strategy effectively develops bioadditives for manufacturing cell therapy devices for treating vascular ischemia/stroke, cartilage regeneration, and bone repair. A significant part of this pioneering effort has been manufacturing HS variants that mimic sugars in native tissues. Anchoring this strategy is my novel discovery platform that identifies specific domains in HS chains that form complexes with growth factors and growth factor receptors to generate powerful signalling complexes that mediate cell-fate decisions and potentiate tissue regeneration. Using this blueprint, I have developed a library of bio-inspired HS variants and subjected them to structure/function analyses. I strongly advocate for the safety/tolerability testing of HS materials and continue to lead industry-based projects in this area. I have considerable experience leading outcome-focused multidisciplinary research teams across all scientific discovery and translation aspects, with a proven track record in developing transformative technology and biotechnology entrepreneurship. I lead a long-standing effort to bank mesenchymal stem cells cultured in HS-supplemented media to treat age-related diseases (pre-clinical stage only) and have been working to transition this project to a commercial facility to develop suitable manufacturing and banking protocols for future clinical testing. Through these various opportunities, I have mentored numerous PhD students in Australia, Singapore, and the UK, which has helped accelerate research opportunities and led to significant gains in generating novel findings.

Works

Search Professor Simon Cool’s works on UQ eSpace

164 works between 1996 and 2024

81 - 100 of 164 works

2011

Journal Article

Heparan sulfate-based treatments for regenerative medicine

Rai, Bina, Nurcombe, Victor and Cool, Simon M. (2011). Heparan sulfate-based treatments for regenerative medicine. Critical Reviews in Eukaryotic Gene Expression, 21 (1), 1-12. doi: 10.1615/CritRevEukarGeneExpr.v21.i1.10

Heparan sulfate-based treatments for regenerative medicine

2010

Journal Article

Loss of CHSY1, a secreted FRINGE enzyme, causes syndromic brachydactyly in humans via increased NOTCH signaling

Tian, Jing, Ling, Ling, Shboul, Mohammad, Lee, Hane, O'Connor, Brian, Merriman, Barry, Nelson, Stanley F., Cool, Simon, Ababneh, Osama H., Al-Hadidy, Azmy, Masri, Amira, Hamamy, Hanan and Reversade, Bruno (2010). Loss of CHSY1, a secreted FRINGE enzyme, causes syndromic brachydactyly in humans via increased NOTCH signaling. American Journal of Human Genetics, 87 (6), 768-778. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2010.11.005

Loss of CHSY1, a secreted FRINGE enzyme, causes syndromic brachydactyly in humans via increased NOTCH signaling

2010

Conference Publication

Raman mapping glucose metabolism during adipogenesis from human mesenchymal stem cells

Gomathy, S. S., Stylianou, C., Phang, I. Y., Cool, S., Nurcombe, V., Ample, F., Lear, M. J., Gorelik, S. and Hobley, J. (2010). Raman mapping glucose metabolism during adipogenesis from human mesenchymal stem cells. Photonics Global Conference, Orchard, Singapore, 14-16 December 2010. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. doi: 10.1109/PGC.2010.5705978

Raman mapping glucose metabolism during adipogenesis from human mesenchymal stem cells

2010

Journal Article

Differences between in vitro viability and differentiation and in vivo bone-forming efficacy of human mesenchymal stem cells cultured on PCL-TCP scaffolds

Rai, Bina, Lin, Jane L., Lim, Zophia X.H., Guldberg, Robert E., Hutmacher, Dietmar W. and Cool, Simon M. (2010). Differences between in vitro viability and differentiation and in vivo bone-forming efficacy of human mesenchymal stem cells cultured on PCL-TCP scaffolds. Biomaterials, 31 (31), 7960-7970. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2010.07.001

Differences between in vitro viability and differentiation and in vivo bone-forming efficacy of human mesenchymal stem cells cultured on PCL-TCP scaffolds

2010

Journal Article

Functional coupling between the extracellular matrix and nuclear lamina by wnt signaling in progeria

Hernandez, Lidia, Roux, Kyle J., Wong, Esther Sook Miin, Mounkes, Leslie C., Mutalif, Rafidah, Navasankari, Raju, Rai, Bina, Cool, Simon, Jeong, Jae-Wook, Wang, Honghe, Lee, Hyun-Shik, Kozlov, Serguei, Grunert, Martin, Keeble, Thomas, Jones, C. Michael, Meta, Margarita D., Young, Stephen G., Daar, Ira O., Burke, Brian, Perantoni, Alan O. and Stewart, Colin L. (2010). Functional coupling between the extracellular matrix and nuclear lamina by wnt signaling in progeria. Developmental Cell, 19 (3), 413-425. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2010.08.013

Functional coupling between the extracellular matrix and nuclear lamina by wnt signaling in progeria

2010

Journal Article

Glycosaminoglycans modulate RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis

Ling, Ling, Murali, Sadasivam, Stein, Gary S., Van Wijnen, Andre J. and Cool, Simon M. (2010). Glycosaminoglycans modulate RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 109 (6), 1222-1231. doi: 10.1002/jcb.22506

Glycosaminoglycans modulate RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis

2010

Journal Article

Impact of vitronectin concentration and surface properties on the stable propagation of human embryonic stem cells

Lib, Jian, Bardy, Jo'an, Yap, Lynn Y.W., Chen, Allen, Nurcombe, Victor, Cool, Simon M., Oh, Steve K. W. and Birch, William R. (2010). Impact of vitronectin concentration and surface properties on the stable propagation of human embryonic stem cells. Biointerphases, 5 (3), 132-142. doi: 10.1116/1.3525804

Impact of vitronectin concentration and surface properties on the stable propagation of human embryonic stem cells

2010

Journal Article

The influence of fibrin based hydrogels on the chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells

Ho, Saey T.B., Cool, Simon M., Hui, James H. and Hutmacher, Dietmar W. (2010). The influence of fibrin based hydrogels on the chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells. Biomaterials, 31 (1), 38-47. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2009.09.021

The influence of fibrin based hydrogels on the chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells

2010

Journal Article

FGF-2 modulates Wnt signaling in undifferentiated hESC and iPS cells through activated PI3-K/GSK3β signaling

Ding, Vanessa M. Y., Ling, Ling, Natarajan, Subaashini, Yap, Miranda G. S., Cool, Simon M. and Choo, Andre B. H. (2010). FGF-2 modulates Wnt signaling in undifferentiated hESC and iPS cells through activated PI3-K/GSK3β signaling. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 225 (2), 417-428. doi: 10.1002/jcp.22214

FGF-2 modulates Wnt signaling in undifferentiated hESC and iPS cells through activated PI3-K/GSK3β signaling

2009

Journal Article

Composite electrospun scaffolds for engineering tubular bone grafts

Ekaputra, Andrew Krishna, Zhou, Yefang, Cool, Simon McKenzie and Hutmacher, Dietmar Werner (2009). Composite electrospun scaffolds for engineering tubular bone grafts. Tissue Engineering - Part A, 15 (12), 3779-3788. doi: 10.1089/ten.tea.2009.0186

Composite electrospun scaffolds for engineering tubular bone grafts

2009

Journal Article

Purification and characterization of heparan sulfate from human primary osteoblasts

Murali, Sadasivam, Manton, Kerry J., Tjong, Vinalia, Su, Xiaodi, Haupt, Larisa M., Cool, Simon M. and Nurcombe, Victor (2009). Purification and characterization of heparan sulfate from human primary osteoblasts. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 108 (5), 1132-1142. doi: 10.1002/jcb.22340

Purification and characterization of heparan sulfate from human primary osteoblasts

2009

Journal Article

Runx2, p53, and pRB status as diagnostic parameters for deregulation of osteoblast growth and differentiation in a new pre-chemotherapeutic osteosarcoma cell line (OS1)

Pereira, Barry P., Zhou, Yefang, Gupta, Anurag, Leong, David T., Aung, Khin Zarchi, Ling, Ling, Pho, Robert W. H., Galindo, Mario, Salto-Tellez, Manuel, Stein, Gary S., Cool, Simon M., Van Wijnen, Andre J. and Nathan, Saminathan S. (2009). Runx2, p53, and pRB status as diagnostic parameters for deregulation of osteoblast growth and differentiation in a new pre-chemotherapeutic osteosarcoma cell line (OS1). Journal of Cellular Physiology, 221 (3), 778-788. doi: 10.1002/jcp.21921

Runx2, p53, and pRB status as diagnostic parameters for deregulation of osteoblast growth and differentiation in a new pre-chemotherapeutic osteosarcoma cell line (OS1)

2009

Journal Article

The heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) glypican-3 mediates commitment of MC3T3-E1 cells toward osteogenesis

Haupt, Larisa M., Murali, Sadasivam, Foong, Kin Mun, Teplyuk, Nadiya, Leong, Fong Mei, Stein, Gary S., Van Wijnen, Andre J., Nurcombe, Victor and Cool, Simon M. (2009). The heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) glypican-3 mediates commitment of MC3T3-E1 cells toward osteogenesis. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 220 (3), 780-791. doi: 10.1002/jcp.21825

The heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) glypican-3 mediates commitment of MC3T3-E1 cells toward osteogenesis

2009

Journal Article

Dual loss of Rb1 and Trp53 in melanocytes perturbs melanocyte homeostasis and genetic stability in vitro but does not cause melanoma or pigmentation defects in vivo

Tonks, Ian D., Mould, Arne, Nurcombe, Victor, Cool, Simon M., Walker, Graeme J., Hacker, Elke, Keith, Patricia, Schroder, Wayne A., Cotterill, Andrew, Hayward, Nicholas K. and Kay, Graham F. (2009). Dual loss of Rb1 and Trp53 in melanocytes perturbs melanocyte homeostasis and genetic stability in vitro but does not cause melanoma or pigmentation defects in vivo. Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research, 22 (3), 328-330. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-148X.2009.00560.x

Dual loss of Rb1 and Trp53 in melanocytes perturbs melanocyte homeostasis and genetic stability in vitro but does not cause melanoma or pigmentation defects in vivo

2009

Journal Article

De-sulfation of MG-63 cell glycosaminoglycans delays in vitro osteogenesis, up-regulates cholesterol synthesis and disrupts cell cycle and the actin cytoskeleton

Kumarasuriyar, A., Lee, I., Nurcombe, V. and Cool, S. M. (2009). De-sulfation of MG-63 cell glycosaminoglycans delays in vitro osteogenesis, up-regulates cholesterol synthesis and disrupts cell cycle and the actin cytoskeleton. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 219 (3), 572-583. doi: 10.1002/jcp.21700

De-sulfation of MG-63 cell glycosaminoglycans delays in vitro osteogenesis, up-regulates cholesterol synthesis and disrupts cell cycle and the actin cytoskeleton

2009

Journal Article

The osteogenic transcription factor Runx2 regulates components of the fibroblast growth factor/proteoglycan signaling axis in osteoblasts

Teplyuk, Nadiya M., Haupt, Larisa M., Ling, Ling, Dombrowski, Christian, Foong, Kin Mun, Nathan, Saminathan S., Lian, Jane B., Stein, Janet L., Stein, Gary S., Cool, Simon M. and Van Wijnen, Andre J. (2009). The osteogenic transcription factor Runx2 regulates components of the fibroblast growth factor/proteoglycan signaling axis in osteoblasts. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 107 (1), 144-154. doi: 10.1002/jcb.22108

The osteogenic transcription factor Runx2 regulates components of the fibroblast growth factor/proteoglycan signaling axis in osteoblasts

2009

Journal Article

The stimulation of healing within a rat calvarial defect by mPCL-TCP/collagen scaffolds loaded with rhBMP-2

Sawyer, A. A., Song, S. J., Susanto, E., Chuan, P., Lam, C. X.F., Woodruff, M. A., Hutmacher, D. W. and Cool, S. M. (2009). The stimulation of healing within a rat calvarial defect by mPCL-TCP/collagen scaffolds loaded with rhBMP-2. Biomaterials, 30 (13), 2479-2488. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2008.12.055

The stimulation of healing within a rat calvarial defect by mPCL-TCP/collagen scaffolds loaded with rhBMP-2

2009

Journal Article

Wnt signaling controls the fate of mesenchymal stem cells

Ling, Ling, Nurcombe, Victor and Cool, Simon M. (2009). Wnt signaling controls the fate of mesenchymal stem cells. Gene, 433 (1-2), 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2008.12.008

Wnt signaling controls the fate of mesenchymal stem cells

2009

Journal Article

Glycosaminoglycan composition changes with MG-63 osteosarcoma osteogenesis in vitro and induces human mesenchymal stem cell aggregation

Kumarasuriyar, A., Murali, S., Nurcombe, V. and Cool, S. M. (2009). Glycosaminoglycan composition changes with MG-63 osteosarcoma osteogenesis in vitro and induces human mesenchymal stem cell aggregation. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 218 (3), 501-511. doi: 10.1002/jcp.21620

Glycosaminoglycan composition changes with MG-63 osteosarcoma osteogenesis in vitro and induces human mesenchymal stem cell aggregation

2009

Journal Article

Osteoblasts up-regulate the expression of extracellular proteases following attachment to Poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-β-hydroxyvalerate)

Kumarasuriyar, Arjuna, Grondahl, Lisbeth, Nurcombe, Victor and Cool, Simon M. (2009). Osteoblasts up-regulate the expression of extracellular proteases following attachment to Poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-β-hydroxyvalerate). Gene, 428 (1-2), 53-58. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2008.09.020

Osteoblasts up-regulate the expression of extracellular proteases following attachment to Poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-β-hydroxyvalerate)

Funding

Past funding

  • 2003
    DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL BIOMATERIAL FOR BONE TISSUE ENGINEERING
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2001
    Fibroblast growth factors and their effects on bone mesenchymal stem cells.
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2000 - 2003
    Promotion of bone healing by exogenous applications of growth factors
    Wesley Merdical Research
    Open grant
  • 1999
    Fibroblast growth factor: unlocking the secrets of osteoblast growth, differentiation and apoptosis.
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Simon Cool is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • Orthopaedic application of glycotherapeutics linked to implantable scaffolds

    We have developed a range of glycosaminoglycan compounds that drive cell fate decisions through complexation with protein/protein receptors that are important for bone formation. Here we seek to coat implantable scaffolds (doi: 10.1116/1.4933109) with these materials and to progress these implantable orthopaedic devices through a range of preclinical models in an effort to define their future clinical utility.

  • Age-related changes in stem cell glycosaminoglycans

    We have identified a range of glycosaminoglycan-altering enzymes that can potentially drive senescent phenotypes linked to stem cell ageing during scale-up manufacturing. Here we seek to develop glycosaminoglycan variants capable of replenishing these lost glycosaminoglycan structures that can restore growth and potency.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

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