![Professor Jennifer Stow](/sites/default/files/profiles/436.jpeg)
Overview
Background
Professor Jennifer Stow is a molecular cell biologist, an NHMRC Leadership Fellow and head of the Protein Trafficking and Inflammation research laboratory in The University of Queensland’s Institute of Molecular Bioscience (IMB). Her previous leadership appointments include as Division Head and Deputy Director (Research) at IMB (12 years) and she currently serves on national and international advisory boards, editorial boards and steering committees, and as an elected Associate Member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO).
Jenny Stow received her undergraduate and PhD qualifications at Melbourne’s Monash University before undertaking postdoctoral training in the Department of Cell Biology at Yale University School of Medicine, USA. With training as a microscopist in kidney research, she gained further experience at Yale as a postdoc in the lab of eminent cell biologist and microscopist, Dr Marilyn Farquhar, where protein trafficking was both a theme and a passion. Jenny then took up her first faculty appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Renal Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School in Boston USA, where her research uncovered new roles for a class of enzymes, GTPases, in regulating trafficking within cells. At MGH her research also formed part of a highly successful NIH Renal Cell Biology Program. In late 1994, Jenny moved her research lab back to Australia, to The University of Queensland, in late 1994 as a Wellcome Trust International Medical Research Fellow. As part of IMB since, the Stow lab has continued a focus on protein trafficking, including pioneering live-cell imaging, to spearhead their work on trafficking in inflammation, cancer and chronic disease. Major discoveries include identifying new proteins and pathways for recycling adhesion proteins in epithelial cells, inflammatory cytokine secretion in macrophages and immune signalling through Toll-like receptors in inflammation and infection. Small GTPases of the Rab family, signalling adaptors and kinases feature among the molecules studied in the Stow lab for their functional roles and their potential as drug targets in inflammation and cancer. A keen focus is to understand the role of the fluid uptake pathway, macropinocytosis, in controlling inflammation, cancer and mucosal absorption.
Professor Stow has been awarded multiple career fellowships including from American Heart Association, Wellcome Trust and NHMRC. She has published >200 papers, cited over 15,500 times and she is the recipient of awards and honours, most recently including the 2019 President's Medal from the Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology. She is also academic head of IMB Microscopy, a world-class fluorescence microscopy and image analysis facility. Her research is funded by a variety of agencies and industry partnerships, in addition to NHMRC and ARC, including through the ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology, QUBIC. The Stow lab work with national and international collaborators and welcome students and postdoctoral trainees to participate in their research. We value having a diverse, inclusive and supportive culture for research and celebrate the many diverse and wonderful successes of Stow lab alumni.
Availability
- Professor Jennifer Stow is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), Monash University
- Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University
Research interests
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Controlling Inflammation: Receptor Signalling and Cytokine Secretion.
Immune cells like macrophages are activated by contact with pathogens and other stimuli, triggering protective immune and inflammatory responses. Signalling pathways generated by macrophage Toll-like receptors (TLRs) elicit the synthesis and secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines instruct other cells to mount either anti-microbial attack responses, followed by tissue repair responses, that over time, control and suppress inflammation. Disrupting the finely tuned TLR signalling pathways and release of cytokines leads to the inflammatory tissue damage that accompanies many chronic diseases. Our research investigates the roles of TLR signalling regulators, including coreceptors, signalling adaptors, lipid kinases and GTPases that help to bias and control cytokine programming. While current therapies target the cytokines themselves, our research is generating strategies to target additional regulatory molecules to control inflammation in disease.
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Cellular Pathways to and from the Cell Surface.
Cells have intimate contact with their tissue environments and each other through many cell surface projections and trafficking pathways that move proteins, membranes and other matter into and out of cells. Live cell imaging and microscopy reveal these behaviours at molecular, cellular and tissue levels. Our research examines the surface features (ruffles, filopodia, cilia) and cellular pathways (macropinocytosis, secretory and recycling pathways) in macrophages, other immune cells, epithelial cells and cancer cells that give each of them specialised functions. As revealed by our research, many of these pathways are governed by small GTPases of the Rab family and their effector molecules. Understanding these pathways is important in disease, for instance, immunity, inflammation and cancer metastasis are all dependent on the Rab-mediated macropinocytosis or cell drinking pathways we investigate.
Research impacts
Understanding how cells and molecules within our bodies function is essential for understanding and addressing diseases and other factors that affect our biology, such as genetics, environment, drugs and bugs. Cells contain remarkably complex pathways for trafficking, or moving proteins around, and for the receptor signalling that controls cell responses. Many of these pathways are affected in disease and are also the targets for drugs we use to treat disease. Insights gained from our research generate a fundamental understanding of cell biology as a necessary framework for developing new treatment strategies. Poorly controlled inflammation is a pervasive disease process underlying many chronic diseases and our research on immune cells is uncovering how inflammation is normally controlled within cells. This information is instructive for devising strategies and identifying drugs that are likely to control inflammation in different chronic diseases and in cancer.
Our work takes advantage of the cutting-edge rsearch facilities in IMB at The University of Queensland, and we collaborate with many valued colleagues throughout Australia and around the world. Technologically, it is a very exciting time for biological and biomedical research, with the rapid development of new types of microscopy, laser imaging, big-image data computing, artificial intelligence and virtual reality capabilities for visualising and analysing living cells and tissues. Our research is part of national and global efforts to refine and apply the latest imaging and big data technologies to resolve structures and processes in normal cells and in cells affected by disease.
Works
Search Professor Jennifer Stow’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Conference Publication
Inflammatory response sculpting by neutrophil inflammasomes
Chen, K., Gross, C., Wall, A., Stacey, K., Stow, J., Sweet, M. and Schroder, K. (2016). Inflammatory response sculpting by neutrophil inflammasomes. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 21-26 August 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley - VCH. doi: 10.1002/eji.201670200
2016
Conference Publication
Molecular arrangement and activation of procaspases-1 and-8 at inflammasomes
Vajjhala, P., Lu, A., Brown, D., Sagulenko, V, Schroder, K., Stow, J., Wu, H. and Stacey, K. (2016). Molecular arrangement and activation of procaspases-1 and-8 at inflammasomes. ICI 2016 International Congress of Immunology, Melbourne, Australia, 21-26 August 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley.
2016
Conference Publication
A new Toll-like receptor adaptor protein that provides specificity to inflammatory cytokine production from macrophages
Luo, L., Bokil, N., Lansdaal, N., Wall, A., Marceline, F., Guo, Z., Alexandrov, K., Ross, I, Hibbs, M., Stow, J. and Sweet, M. (2016). A new Toll-like receptor adaptor protein that provides specificity to inflammatory cytokine production from macrophages. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne Australia, 21-26 August 2016. HOBOKEN: Wiley-Blackwell.
2016
Book Chapter
Post-golgi transport - cargo, carriers, and pathways
Stow, J. L. and Murray, R. Z. (2016). Post-golgi transport - cargo, carriers, and pathways. Encyclopedia of cell biology. (pp. 363-370) edited by Ralph A. Bradshaw and Philip D. Stahl. Waltham, MA, United States: Academic Press/Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-394447-4.20035-7
2015
Journal Article
The inflammasome adaptor ASC induces procaspase-8 death effector domain filaments
Vajjhala, Parimala R., Lu, Alvin, Brown, Darren L., Pang, Siew Wai, Sagulenko, Vitaliya, Sester, David P., Cridland, Simon O., Hill, Justine M., Schroder, Kate, Stow, Jennifer L., Wu, Hao and Stacey, Katryn J. (2015). The inflammasome adaptor ASC induces procaspase-8 death effector domain filaments. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 290 (49), 29217-29230. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M115.687731
2015
Journal Article
RP105 engages phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase p110δ to facilitate the trafficking and secretion of cytokines in macrophages during mycobacterial infection
Yu, Chien-Hsiung, Micaroni, Massimo, Puyskens, Andreas, Schultz, Thomas E., Yeo, Jeremy Changyu, Stanley, Amanda C., Lucas, Megan, Kurihara, Jade, Dobos, Karen M., Stow, Jennifer L. and Blumenthal, Antje (2015). RP105 engages phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase p110δ to facilitate the trafficking and secretion of cytokines in macrophages during mycobacterial infection. Journal of Immunology, 195 (8), 3890-3900. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1500017
2015
Journal Article
Xenopus borealis as an alternative source of oocytes for biophysical and pharmacological studies of neuronal ion channels
Cristofori-Armstrong, Ben, Soh, Ming S., Talwar, Sahil, Brown, Darren L., Griffin, John D. O., Dekan, Zoltan, Stow, Jennifer L., King, Glenn F., Lynch, Joseph W. and Rash, Lachlan D. (2015). Xenopus borealis as an alternative source of oocytes for biophysical and pharmacological studies of neuronal ion channels. Scientific Reports, 5 (1) 14763, 14763.1-14763.12. doi: 10.1038/srep14763
2015
Journal Article
Mechanisms of unconventional secretion of IL-1 family cytokines
Monteleone, Mercedes, Stow, Jennifer L. and Schroder, Kate (2015). Mechanisms of unconventional secretion of IL-1 family cytokines. Cytokine, 74 (2), 213-218. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2015.03.022
2015
Journal Article
Dynamic imaging of the recycling endosomal network in macrophages
Wall, Adam A., Condon, Nicholas D., Yeo, Jeremy C., Hamilton, Nicholas A. and Stow, Jennifer L. (2015). Dynamic imaging of the recycling endosomal network in macrophages. Methods in Cell Biology, 130, 1-18. doi: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2015.04.007
2015
Journal Article
Rab31 and APPL2 enhance FcγR-mediated phagocytosis through PI3K/Akt signaling in macrophages
Yeo, Jeremy C., Wall, Adam A., Luo, Lin and Stow, Jennifer L. (2015). Rab31 and APPL2 enhance FcγR-mediated phagocytosis through PI3K/Akt signaling in macrophages. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 26 (5), 952-965. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E14-10-1457
2015
Journal Article
Soluble NSF attachment protein receptor molecular mimicry by a Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm effector
King, Nathan P., Newton, Patrice, Schuelein, Ralf, Brown, Darren L., Petru, Marketa, Zarsky, Vojtech, Dolezal, Pavel, Luo, Lin, Bugarcic, Andrea, Stanley, Amanda C., Murray, Rachael Z., Collins, Brett M., Teasdale, Rohan D., Hartland, Elizabeth L. and Stow, Jennifer L. (2015). Soluble NSF attachment protein receptor molecular mimicry by a Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm effector. Cellular Microbiology, 17 (6), 767-784. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12405
2015
Journal Article
Ror-alpha deficiency and decreased adiposity are associated with induction of thermogenic gene expression in subcutaneous white and brown adipose tissue
Lau, Patrick, Tuong, Zewen K., Wang, Shu-Ching, Fitzsimmons, Rebecca L., Goode, Joel M., Thomas, Gethin P., Cowin, Gary J., Pearen, Michael A., Mardon, Karine, Stow, Jennifer L. and Muscat, George E. O. (2015). Ror-alpha deficiency and decreased adiposity are associated with induction of thermogenic gene expression in subcutaneous white and brown adipose tissue. American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, 308 (2), E159-E171. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00056.2014
2014
Journal Article
Cytokine secretion in macrophages: SNAREs, Rabs, and membrane trafficking
Murray, Rachael Zoe and Stow, Jennifer Lea (2014). Cytokine secretion in macrophages: SNAREs, Rabs, and membrane trafficking. Frontiers in Immunology, 5 (Article 538) 538, 538. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00538
2014
Journal Article
On linear models and parameter identifiability in experimental biological systems
Lamberton, Timothy O., Condon, Nicholas D., Stow, Jennifer L. and Hamilton, Nicholas A. (2014). On linear models and parameter identifiability in experimental biological systems. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 358, 102-121. doi: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2014.05.028
Featured
2014
Journal Article
Rab8a interacts directly with PI3Kγ to modulate TLR4-driven PI3K and mTOR signalling
Luo, Lin, Wall, Adam A., Yeo, Jeremy C., Condon, Nicholas D., Norwood, Suzanne J., Schoenwaelder, Simone, Chen, Kaiwen W., Jackson, Shaun, Jenkins, Brendan J., Hartland, Elizabeth L., Schroder, Kate, Collins, Brett M., Sweet, Matthew J. and Stow, Jennifer L. (2014). Rab8a interacts directly with PI3Kγ to modulate TLR4-driven PI3K and mTOR signalling. Nature Communications, 5 (1) 4407, 4407.1-4407.13. doi: 10.1038/ncomms5407
2014
Journal Article
Cavin-1/PTRF alters prostate cancer cell-derived extracellular vesicle content and internalization to attenuate extracellular vesicle-mediated osteoclastogenesis and osteoblast proliferation
Inder, Kerry L., Ruelcke, Jayde E., Petelin, Lara, Moon, Hyeongsun, Choi, Eunju, Rae, James, Blumenthal, Antje, Hutmacher, Dietmar, Saunders, Nicholas A., Stow, Jennifer L., Parton, Robert G. and Hill, Michelle M. (2014). Cavin-1/PTRF alters prostate cancer cell-derived extracellular vesicle content and internalization to attenuate extracellular vesicle-mediated osteoclastogenesis and osteoblast proliferation. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 3 (1) 23784, 23784.1-23784.14. doi: 10.3402/jev.v3.23784
2014
Journal Article
Molecular analysis of common polymorphisms within the human Tyrosinase locus and genetic association with pigmentation traits
Jagirdar, Kasturee, Smit, Darren J., Ainger, Stephen A., Lee, Katie J., Brown, Darren L., Chapman, Brett, Zhao, Zhen Zhen, Montgomery, Grant W., Martin, Nicholas G., Stow, Jennifer L., Duffy, David L. and Sturm, Richard A. (2014). Molecular analysis of common polymorphisms within the human Tyrosinase locus and genetic association with pigmentation traits. Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research, 27 (4), 552-564. doi: 10.1111/pcmr.12253
2014
Journal Article
PI3K delta inhibition reduces TNF secretion and neuroinflammation in a mouse cerebral stroke model
Low, Pei Ching, Manzanero, Silvia, Mohannak, Nika, Narayana, Vinod K., Nguyen, Tam H., Kvaskoff, David, Brennan, Faith H., Ruitenberg, Marc J., Gelderblom, Mathias, Magnus, Tim, Kim, Hyun Ah, Broughton, Brad R. S., Sobey, Christopher G., Vanhaesebroeck, Bart, Stow, Jennifer L., Arumugam, Thiruma V. and Meunier, Frédéric A. (2014). PI3K delta inhibition reduces TNF secretion and neuroinflammation in a mouse cerebral stroke model. Nature Communications, 5 (3450) 3450, 1-12. doi: 10.1038/ncomms4450
2014
Conference Publication
PI3K delta inhibition reduces TNF secretion and neuroinflammation in a mouse cerebral stroke model
Low, Pei Ching (Regine), Manzanero, Silvia, Narayana, Vinod K., Nguyen, Tam H., Kvaskoff, David, Brennan, Faith H., Ruitenberg, Marc J., Gelderblom, Mathias, Magnus, Tim, Kim, Hyun Ah, Broughton, Brad R. S., Sobey, Christopher G., Vanhaesebroeck, Bart, Stow, Jennifer L., Arumugam, Thiruma V. and Meunier, Frederic A. (2014). PI3K delta inhibition reduces TNF secretion and neuroinflammation in a mouse cerebral stroke model. 2nd Annual Meeting of the International-Cytokine-and-Interferon-Society (ICIS), Melbourne, Australia, 26-29 October 2014. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2014.07.126
2013
Journal Article
The Rho GTPase Rac1 is required for recycling endosome-mediated secretion of TNF in macrophages
Stanley, Amanda C., Wong, Colin X., Micaroni, Massimo, Venturato, Juliana, Khromykh, Tatiana, Stow, Jennifer L. and Lacy, Paige (2013). The Rho GTPase Rac1 is required for recycling endosome-mediated secretion of TNF in macrophages. Immunology and Cell Biology, 92 (3), 275-286. doi: 10.1038/icb.2013.90
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Jennifer Stow is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Gut inflammation: model systems and the development of anti-inflammatory peptide drugs.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Thomas Durek
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Doctor Philosophy
Barrier functions of the intestinal epithelium.
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Structural and cellular analysis of Rab GTPases for drug development in cancer.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Quan Nguyen, Professor Brett Collins
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Doctor Philosophy
Performing microrheological measurements of biological compartments with rotational optical tweezers
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alexander Stilgoe, Dr Itia Favre-Bulle, Professor Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Cell death, inflammation, and macrophages in cardiac ischemia and metabolic disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Nathan Palpant
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Rab GTPase Regulation of Primary Cilia in Renal Epithelium
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andrew Mallett
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2022
Master Philosophy
Rab GTPase Regulation of Cell Surface Protrusions
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andrew Mallett
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Inflammatory modulation in microglia: Macropinocytosis for receptor trafficking and signalling
Principal Advisor
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Regulation of Rab8 in Toll-Like Receptor Signalling Pathways
Principal Advisor
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of Dorsal Ruffles in Activated Macrophages
Principal Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular Regulation of Phagocytosis and Signaling in Macrophages
Principal Advisor
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of Rab23 in Epithelial Morphogenesis, Polarity and Lumen Formation
Principal Advisor
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Role of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase in Cytokine Trafficking and Secretion
Principal Advisor
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
Exocytosis and Endocytosis in LPS-activated macrophages: pathways and regulators
Principal Advisor
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2008
Doctor Philosophy
The regulators of E-cadherin trafficking in polarized epithelial cells
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Rohan Teasdale
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2007
Doctor Philosophy
THE EXOCYTIC AND ENDOCYTIC TRAFFICKING OF E-CADHERIN IN EPITHELIAL CELLS
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Rohan Teasdale
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2006
Doctor Philosophy
ANALYSIS OF CADHERIN AND RECEPTOR TYROSINE KINASE INTERACTIONS: TRAFFICKING AND FUNCTION
Principal Advisor
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2006
Doctor Philosophy
DYNAMIC IMAGING OF POST-GOLGI PROTEIN TRANSPORT
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Rohan Teasdale
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Doctor Philosophy
INTRACELLULAR CYTOKINE TRAFFICKING AND PHAGOCYTOSIS IN MACROPHAGES
Principal Advisor
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
SCIMP as a scaffold for kinases in innate immune receptor pathways
Associate Advisor
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
SCIMP: a novel TLR4 adaptor protein that fine-tunes inflammatory signalling in myeloid cells
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Matt Sweet
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Retinoid-related Orphan Nuclear Receptor Alpha and Macrophages in Lipid Metabolism and Immunity
Associate Advisor
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
Computational methods to define the endosomal proteome
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Rohan Teasdale
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
The molecular mechanism of MC1R association with skin cancer risk phenotypes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Rick Sturm
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2006
Doctor Philosophy
MOLECULAR CHANGES DEFINING THE TRANSITION FROM RADIAL TO VERTICAL GROWTH PHASE IN MELANOMA
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Rick Sturm
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2005
Doctor Philosophy
THE ROLE OF P120-CTN IN REGULATING E-CADHERIN-MEDIATED ADHESION
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alpha Yap
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2004
Doctor Philosophy
POST-GOLGI TRAFFICKING IN THE MAMMALIAN SECRETORY PATHWAY
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Rohan Teasdale
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2004
Doctor Philosophy
MEMBRANE MOVEMENTS OF E-CADHERIN
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alpha Yap
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2003
Doctor Philosophy
MOLECULAR DISSECTION OF PROTEIN TARGETTING IN EUCARYOTIC CELLS
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Jennifer Stow directly for media enquiries about:
- anti-imflammatory
- bacteria
- bacterial infection
- Biology - molecular
- cancer
- Cancer cells
- Cell biology
- chronic disease
- Cytokines
- Host-pathogen interactions
- imaging
- Infectious disease
- Inflammation
- Inflammatory disease
- legionella
- legionnaires disease
- Macrophages
- microscopy
- Molecular biology
- molecular imaging
- Protein secretion
- scientific leadership
- Vesicle trafficking
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