Professor John Rasko

Professor
Medicine, Central Clinical School
Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine & Cell Biology

D06 - Blackburn Building
The University of Sydney
NSW 2006 Australia

T: +61 2 9565 6100
F: +61 2 9565 6101
E:
W: Related website

Biographical details

BSc(Med), MBBS(Hons), PhD, FRCPA, FRACP [More...]

Research interests

John Rasko is an internationally-acclaimed physician-scientist with a productive track record in gene and stem cell therapy, experimental haematology and molecular biology. In over 130 papers he has made major contributions to the understanding of haemopoietic growth factors and haemopoiesis, gene transfer technologies, oncogenesis, human aminoacidurias and non-coding RNAs. He serves on Hospital, state and national bodies including Chair of GTTAC, Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (2008-10); co-founding (2000) and past-President (2003-5) of the Australasian Gene Therapy Society; Vice President, International Society for Cellular Therapy (2008-12) and founder (2009) ISCT-Australia. He has volunteered his services extensively for the benefit of philanthropic foundations.

haematology, stem cells, bioethics in relation to gene transfer and stem cells, gene therapy of stem cells

Teaching areas

John Rasko supervises five doctoral students and has supervised well over a dozen successful postgraduate students, some of whom now head their own laboratories. He delivers regular lectures in the Faculties of Science and Medicine as well as a popular introductory lecture in Haematology for the Central Clinical School. He mentors postdoctoral researchers for career development, and Haematology trainees for the RACP/RCPA. He is a widely-sought speaker for seminars and the media in bringing research to a broader audience.

Current national competitive grants*

2012

Development of a treatment algorithm for kinase inhibitor therapy in CML
Rasko J
University of Adelaide Shared Research Support ($220,365 over 3 years)

Designer DNA-binding proteins targeting methylated DNA for research and therapeutic purposes
Mackay J, Segal D, Rasko J
NHMRC Project Grants ($563,675 over 3 years)

* Grants administered through the University of Sydney

Keywords

Cell biology; Haematological malignancy; Medical history; Haematology; Genetic diseases

Publications

2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

2011

   
  • Balamatsias, D., Kong, A., Waters, J., Sriratana, A., Gurung, R., Bailey, C., Rasko, J., Tiganis, T., Macaulay, S., Mitchell, C. (2011), Identification of P-Rex1 as a novel Rac1-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that promotes actin remodeling and GLUT4 protein trafficking in adipocytes. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 286(50), 43229-43240. [Abstract]
  • Wang, Q., Bailey, C., Ng, C., Tiffen, J., Thoeng, A., Minhas, V., Lehman, M., Hendy, S., Buchanan, G., Nelson, C., Rasko, J., Holst, J. (2011), Androgen receptor and nutrient signaling pathways coordinate the demand for increased amino acid transport during prostate cancer progression. Cancer research. 71(24), 7525-36. [Abstract]
  • Power, C., Rasko, J. (2011), Promises and challenges of stem cell research for regenerative medicine. Annals of Internal Medicine. 155(10), 706-713. [Abstract]
  • Both, G., Alexander, I., Fletcher, S., Nicolson, T., Rasko, J., Wilton, S., Symonds, G. (2011), Gene therapy: therapeutic applications and relevance to pathology. Pathology. 43(6), 642-56. [Abstract]
  • Rasko, J. (2011), Future Path: frontiers of molecular and cellular pathology. Pathology. 43(6), 523-524. [Abstract]
  • To, L., Levesque, J., Herbert, K., Winkler, I., Bendall, L., Hiwase, D., Antonenas, V., Rice, A., Gottlieb, D., Mills, A., Rasko, J., Larsen, S., Beligaswatte, A., Nilsson, S., Cooney, J., Cambareri, A., Lewis, I. (2011), Mobilisation strategies for normal and malignant cells. Pathology. 43(6), 547-565. [Abstract]
  • Macpherson, J., Rasko, J. (2011), Cellular therapy in the Asia-Pacific region. A guide for the future pathologist. Pathology. 43(6), 616-26. [Abstract]
  • Herbert, K., Levesque, J., Mills, A., Gottlieb, D., Cooney, J., Szer, J., Rasko, J., To, L. (2011), How we mobilize haemopoietic stem cells. Internal Medicine Journal. 41(8), 588-594. [Abstract]
  • Bröer, A., Juelich, T., Vanslambrouck, J., Tietze, N., Solomon, P., Holst, J., Bailey, C., Rasko, J., Bröer, S. (2011), Impaired Nutrient Signaling and Body Weight Control in a Na+ Neutral Amino Acid Cotransporter (Slc6a19)-deficient Mouse. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 286(30), 26638-26651. [Abstract]
  • Power, C., Rasko, J. (2011), Will cell reprogramming resolve the embryonic stem cell controversy? A narrative review. Annals of Internal Medicine. 155(2), 114-121. [Abstract]
  • Bailey, C., Ryan, R., Thoeng, A., Ng, C., King, K., Vanslambrouck, J., Auray-Blais, C., Vandenberg, R., Bröer, S., Rasko, J. (2011), Loss-of-function mutations in the glutamate transporter SLC1A1 cause human dicarboxylic aminoaciduria. The Journal of clinical investigation. 121(1), 446-53. [Abstract]
  • Choi, P., Rasko, J. (2011), The challenge of investigating thrombocytopenia. Medicine Today. 12(2), 26-35.

2010

   
  • Einecke, G., Kayser, D., Vanslambrouck, J., Sis, B., Reeve, J., Mengel, M., Famulski, K., Bailey, C., Rasko, J., Halloran, P. (2010), Loss of solute carriers in T cell-mediated rejection in mouse and human kidneys: an active epithelial injury-repair response. American Journal of Transplantation. 10(10), 2241-2251. [Abstract]
  • Holst, J., Watson, S., Lord, M., Eamegdool, S., Bax, D., Nivison-Smith, L., Kondyurin, A., Ma, L., Oberhauser, A., Weiss, A., Rasko, J. (2010), Substrate elasticity provides mechanical signals for the expansion of hemopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Nature biotechnology. 28(10), 1123-8. [Abstract]
  • Sen, S., Merchan, J., Dean, J., Ii, M., Gavin, M., Silver, M., Tkebuchava, T., Yoon, Y., Rasko, J., Aikawa, R. (2010), Autologous transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells genetically modified by adeno-associated viral vector delivering insulin-like growth factor-1 gene after myocardial infarction. Human gene therapy. 21(10), 1327-1334. [Abstract]
  • Tang, C., Russell, P., Martiniello-Wilks, R., Rasko, J., Khatri, A. (2010), Nanoparticles and Cellular Carriers - Allies in Cancer Imaging and Cellular Gene Therapy?. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio). 28(9), 1686-702. [Abstract]
  • Flamant, S., Ritchie, W., Guilhot, J., Holst, J., Bonnet, M., Chomel, J., Guilhot, F., Turhan, A., Rasko, J. (2010), Micro-RNA response to imatinib mesylate in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Haematologica. 95(8), 1325-33. [Abstract]
  • Taft, R., Simons, C., Nahkuri, S., Oey, H., Korbie, D., Mercer, T., Holst, J., Ritchie, W., Wong, J., Rasko, J., Rokhsar, D., Degnan, B., Mattick, J. (2010), Nuclear-localized tiny RNAs are associated with transcription initiation and splice sites in metazoans. Nature structural & molecular biology. 17(8), 1030-4. [Abstract]
  • Vanslambrouck, J., Bröer, A., Thavyogarajah, T., Holst, J., Bailey, C., Bröer, S., Rasko, J. (2010), Renal imino acid and glycine transport system ontogeny and involvement in developmental iminoglycinuria. The Biochemical journal. 428(3), 397-407. [Abstract]
  • Rasko, J. (2010), A gene therapy renaissance?. Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology. 25(5), 848-850. [Abstract]
  • Ritchie, W., Flamant, S., Rasko, J. (2010), mimiRNA: a microRNA expression profiler and classification resource designed to identify functional correlations between microRNAs and their targets. Bioinformatics (Oxford, England). 26(2), 223-7. [Abstract]
  • Khalafallah, A., Dennis, A., Bates, J., Bates, G., Robertson, I., Smith, L., Ball, M., Seaton, D., Brain, T., Rasko, J. (2010), A prospective randomized, controlled trial of intravenous versus oral iron for moderate iron deficiency anaemia of pregnancy. Journal of Internal Medicine. 268(3), 286-295. [Abstract]
  • Gunter, K., Caplan, A., Mason, C., Salzman, R., Janssen, W., Nichols, K., Bouzas, L., Lanza, F., Levine, B., Rasko, J., Shimosaka, A., Horwitz, E. (2010), Cell therapy medical tourism: Time for action. Cytotherapy. 12(8), 965-968. [Abstract]
  • Tiffen, J., Bailey, C., Ng, C., Rasko, J., Holst, J. (2010), Luciferase expression and bioluminescence does not affect tumor cell growth in vitro or in vivo. Molecular Cancer. 9, 299. [Abstract]

2009

   
  • Ritchie, W., Rajasekhar, M., Flamant, S., Rasko, J. (2009), Conserved expression patterns predict microRNA targets. PLoS Computational Biology. 5(9), e1000513. [Abstract]
  • Ritchie, W., Flamant, S., Rasko, J. (2009), Predicting microRNA targets and functions: traps for the unwary. Nature Methods. 6(6), 397-398. [Abstract]
  • Viiala, N., Larsen, S., Rasko, J. (2009), Gene therapy for hemophilia: clinical trials and technical tribulations. Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis. 35(1), 81-92. [Abstract]

2008

   
  • Bröer, S., Bailey, C., Kowalczuk, S., Ng, C., Vanslambrouck, J., Rodgers, H., Auray-Blais, C., Cavanaugh, J., Bröer, A., Rasko, J. (2008), Iminoglycinuria and hyperglycinuria are discrete human phenotypes resulting from complex mutations in proline and glycine transporters. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 0(0), 0. [Abstract]
  • Larsen, S., Chng, K., Battah, F., Martiniello-Wilks, R., Rasko, J. (2008), Improved G-Csf Mobilization of Hemopoietic Progenitors Using Cytokine Combinations in Primates. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio). 26(0), 2974-80. [Abstract]
  • Power, C., Rasko, J. (2008), Whither prometheus' liver? Greek myth and the science of regeneration. Annals of Internal Medicine. 149(6), 421-426. [Abstract]
  • Ritchie, W., Flamant, S., Rasko, J., Marcucci, G., Radmacher, M., Bloomfield, C. (2008), MicroRNA in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The New England Journal of Medicine. , 653-654. [Abstract]
  • Kowalczuk, S., Bröer, A., Tietze, N., Vanslambrouck, J., Rasko, J., Bröer, S. (2008), A protein complex in the brush-border membrane explains a Hartnup disorder allele. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. 22(8), 2880-7. [Abstract]
  • Baoutina, A., Alexander, I., Rasko, J., Emslie, K. (2008), Developing strategies for detection of gene doping. The journal of gene medicine. 10(1), 3-20. [Abstract]
  • Azmanov, D., Kowalczuk, S., Rodgers, H., Auray-Blais, C., Gigurere, R., Rasko, J., Broer, S., Cavanaugh, J. (2008), Further Evidence for Allellic Heterogeneity in Hartnup Disorder. Human Mutation. 29(10), 1217-1221. [Abstract]

2007

   
  • Horan, K., Watanabe, K., Kong, A., Bailey, C., Rasko, J., Sasaki, T., Mitchell, C. (2007), Regulation of FcgammaR-stimulated phagocytosis by the 72-kDa inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase: SHIP1, but not the 72-kDa 5-phosphatase, regulates complement receptor 3 mediated phagocytosis by differential recruitment of these 5-phosphatases to the phagocytic cup. Blood. 110(13), 4480-4491. [Abstract]
  • Azmanov, D., Rodgers, H., Auray-Blais, C., Giguère, R., Bailey, C., Bröer, S., Rasko, J., Cavanaugh, J. (2007), Persistence of the common Hartnup disease D173N allele in populations of European origin. Annals of human genetics. 71(6), 755-761. [Abstract]
  • Baoutina, A., Alexander, I., Rasko, J., Emslie, K. (2007), Potential Use of Gene Transfer in Athletic Performance Enhancement. Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy. 15(10), 1751-66. [Abstract]
  • Iyengar, L., Wang, Q., Rasko, J., McAvoy, J., Lovicu, F. (2007), Duration of ERK1/2 phosphorylation induced by FGF or ocular media determines lens cell fate. Differentiation; research in biological diversity. 75(7), 662-8. [Abstract]
  • Hayward, M., Pötgens, A., Drewlo, S., Kaufmann, P., Rasko, J. (2007), Distribution of human endogenous retrovirus type W receptor in normal human villous placenta. Pathology. 39(4), 406-412. [Abstract]
  • Mingozzi, F., Maus, M., Hui, D., Sabatino, D., Murphy, S., Rasko, J., Ragni, M., Manno, C., Sommer, J., Jiang, H., Pierce, G., Ertl, H., High, K. (2007), CD8(+) T-cell responses to adeno-associated virus capsid in humans. Nature medicine. 13(4), 419-422. [Abstract]
  • Kovacic, J., Macdonald, P., Freund, J., Rasko, J., Allan, R., Fernandes, V., Ma, D., Moore, J., Graham, R. (2007), Profound thrombocytopenia related to G-CSF. American journal of hematology. 82, 229-30. [Abstract]
  • Holst, J., Rasko, J. (2007), The Use of Retroviral Vectors for Gene Transfer into Hematopoietic Stem Cells. Methods in Enzymology. 420, 82-100.
  • Martiniello-Wilks, R., Rasko, J. (2007), Cell and gene therapy in Australia. Cytotherapy. 9(3), 209-221. [Abstract]
  • Bailey, C., Rasko, J. (2007), Autofluorescent proteins for flow cytometry. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.). 411, 99-110. [Abstract]
  • Chng, K., Larsen, S., Zhou, S., Wright, J., Martiniello-Wilks, R., Rasko, J. (2007), Specific adeno-associated virus serotypes facilitate efficient gene transfer into human and non-human primate mesenchymal stromal cells. The journal of gene medicine. 9, 22-32. [Abstract]
  • Lévesque, J., Winkler, I., Larsen, S., Rasko, J. (2007), Mobilization of bone marrow-derived progenitors. Handbook of experimental pharmacology. 180(0), 3-36. [Abstract]

2006

   
  • Rasko, J. (2006), Bill to ban reproduction of inmates with cancer proposed in New South Wales. The Medical journal of Australia. 185(10), 575-576. [Abstract]
  • Tsoutsman, T., Chung, J., Doolan, A., Nguyen, L., Williams, I., Tu, E., Lam, L., Bailey, C., Rasko, J., Allen, D., Semsarian, C. (2006), Molecular insights from a novel cardiac troponin I mouse model of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology. 41(4), 623-32. [Abstract]
  • McClorey, G., Fall, A., Moulton, H., Iversen, P., Rasko, J., Ryan, M., Fletcher, S., Wilton, S. (2006), Induced dystrophin exon skipping in human muscle explants. Neuromuscular Disorders. 16(9-10), 583-590. [Abstract]
  • Iyengar, L., Patkunanathan, B., Lynch, O., McAvoy, J., Rasko, J., Lovicu, F. (2006), Aqueous humour- and growth factor-induced lens cell proliferation is dependent on MAPK/ERK1/2 and Akt/PI3-K signalling. Experimental eye research. 83(3), 667-678. [Abstract]
  • Kong, A., Horan, K., Sriratana, A., Bailey, C., Collyer, L., Nandurkar, H., Shisheva, A., Layton, M., Rasko, J., Rowe, T., Mitchell, C. (2006), Phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate PtdIns(3)P is generated at the plasma membrane by an inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase: Endogenous PtdIns(3)P can promote GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane. Molecular and Cellular Biology. 26(16), 6065-6081. [Abstract]
  • Larsen, S., Kingham, J., Hayward, M., Rasko, J. (2006), Damage to incisors after nonmyeloablative total body irradiation may complicate NOD/SCID models of hemopoietic stem cell transplantation. Comparative medicine. 56(3), 209-14. [Abstract]
  • Manno, C., Arruda, V., Pierce, G., Glader, B., Ragni, M., Rasko, J., Ozelo, M., Hoots, K., Blatt, P., Konkle, B., Dake, M., Kaye, R., Razavi, M., Zajko, A., Zehnder, J., Nakai, H., Chew, A., Leonard, D., Wright, J., Lessard, R., Sommer, J., Tigges, M., Sabatino, D., Luk, A., Jiang, H., Mingozzi, F., Couto, L., Ertl, H., High, K., Kay, M. (2006), Successful transduction of liver in hemophilia by AAV-factor IX and limitations imposed by the host immune response. Nature Medicine. 12(3), 342-347. [Abstract]
  • Rasko, J., O'Sullivan, G., Ankeny, R. (2006), Is inheritable genetic modification the new dividing line?. In: The Ethics of Inheritable Genetic Modification. (pp.1-16).Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Holst, J., Rasko, J. (2006), The use of retroviral vectors for gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells. Methods in Enzymology. 420, 82-100. [Abstract]
  • Rasko, J., Jolly, D. (2006), The science of inheritable genetic modification. In: The Ethics of Inheritable Genetic Modification. (pp.17-34).Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.