People_

Associate Professor Michael Morris

Sesqui Senior Lecturer in Embryonic Stem Cells
Physiology, School of Medical Sciences
Bosch Institute

Phone

+61 2 9036 3276

Fax

+61 2 9036 3316

Email

m.morris@sydney.edu.au

Details

Member of The University of Sydney Nano Institute

Research interests

My laboratory has ongoing interests in two distinct areas: (i) Embryonic Stem Cells/Embryogenesis and (ii) 3D Structure of Membrane Proteins.

Embryonic Stem Cells/Embryogenesis ES cells recapitulate many of the complex processes that occur during mammalian embryogenesis. This provides enormous experimental advantages because it is possible to identify molecules, signaling pathways, genetic and epigenetic events that contribute to stemness and that direct the differentiation of stem cells to specific cell fates. Thus, we use ES cells as an in vitro model to understand the molecular mechanisms of normal and abnormal development. We also develop protocols to direct the differentiation of ES cells to specific cell types that can be used in animal models of human disease. In addition, we apply the knowledge we have gained from stem-cell behaviour in vitro to determine if the development of embryos themselves are controlled by the same or similar mechanisms. In particular, we focus on 3 key milestones in development which must be negotiated successfully: formation of the blastocyst, gastrulation, and neurogenesis. 3D Structure of Membrane Proteins Membrane proteins are common and perform an enormous range of critical tasks in cells. However, it has continued to prove very difficult to obtain information on their 3D structures. Our research is directed towards developing computational tools that can be used to predict, refine, and compare the 3D structures of these proteins.

Themes

Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health, Neurosciences and Mental Health, Lifespan

Keywords

Bioinformatics, Embryology, Regeneration medicine/Tissue engineering, Stem cells, Neurogenesis

Approaches

Cellular Signalling, Cellular/Molecular, Growth & Development

Clinical speciality

Anaesthesia

Current research students

Project title	Research student
Production of mature oocytes from bovine ovarian tissue in vitro	Kate CAREY

Publications

By Type

Expand all

Book Chapters

Glover, H., Shparberg, R., Morris, M. (2022). L-Proline Supplementation Drives Self-Renewing Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells to a Partially Primed Pluripotent State: The Early Primitive Ectoderm-Like Cell. In Pierre Osteil (Eds.), Epiblast Stem Cells, (pp. 11-24). New York: Humana, New York, NY. [More Information]
Sokouti, B., Church, W., Morris, M., Dastmalchi, S. (2015). Structural and computational approached in drug design for G protein-coupled receptors. In Mehdi Khosrow-Pour (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, (pp. 479-489). Hershey: IGI Global. [More Information]
Morris, M. (2012). Modelling Differentiation of Pluripotent Stem Cells to the Three Germ Layers. In Kuldip Sidhu (Eds.), Frontiers in Pluripotent Stem Cells Research and Therapeutic Potentials: Bench-to-Bedside, (pp. 68-82). United Arab Emirates: Bentham Science Publishers. [More Information]
Morris, M., Rathjen, J., Keough, R., Rathjen, P. (2005). Biology of Embryonic Stem Cells. In Jon S. Odorico, Su-Chun Zhang, Roger A. Pedersen (Eds.), Human Embryonic Stem Cells, (pp. 1-28). United States: Garland Science/BIOS Scientific Publishers.

show 1 more

Journals

Boumelhem, B., Fraser, S., Farajikhah, S., Shparberg, R., Morris, M., Bilek, M., Zhang, A., Akhavan, B., Fleming, S., Large, M. (2024). Modelling the development of biological structures displaying longitudinal geometries in vitro: culturing pluripotent stem cells on plasma-treated, growth factor-coupled polycaprolactone fibres. Engineered Regeneration, 5, 124-138. [More Information]
Bahrami, M., Morris, M., Day, M. (2023). Glutamine, proline, and isoleucine support maturation and fertilisation of bovine oocytes. Theriogenology, 201, 59-67. [More Information]
Glover, H., Holliday, H., Shparberg, R., Winkler, D., Day, M., Morris, M. (2023). Signalling pathway crosstalk stimulated by L-proline drives mouse embryonic stem cells to primitive-ectoderm-like cells. Development, 150(20), dev201704. [More Information]
Treleaven, T., Zada, M., Nagarajah, R., Bailey, C., Rasko, J., Morris, M., Day, M. (2023). Stage-Specific L-Proline Uptake by Amino Acid Transporter Slc6a19/B0AT1 Is Required for Optimal Preimplantation Embryo Development in Mice. Cells, 12(1), 18. [More Information]
Alizadeh, A., Morris, M., Church, W., Yaqoubi, S., Dastmalchi, S. (2022). A mechanistic perspective, clinical applications, and phage-display-assisted discovery of TNFα inhibitors. Drug Discovery Today, 27(2), 503-518. [More Information]
Mridha, A., Dargaville, T., Dalton, P., Carroll, L., Morris, M., Vaithilingam, V., Tuch, B. (2022). Prevascularized Retrievable Hybrid Implant to Enhance Function of Subcutaneous Encapsulated Islets. Tissue Engineering - Part A, 28, 212-224. [More Information]
Treleaven, T., Hardy, M., Guttman-Jones, M., Morris, M., Day, M. (2021). In Vitro Fertilisation of Mouse Oocytes in L-Proline and L-Pipecolic Acid Improves Subsequent Development. Cells, 10(6), 1352-1-1352-16. [More Information]
Taylor, J., Patio, K., De Rubis, G., Morris, M., Evenhuis, C., Johnson, M., Bebawy, M. (2021). Membrane to cytosol redistribution of αII-spectrin drives extracellular vesicle biogenesis in malignant breast cells. Proteomics, 21(13-14), 2000091-1-2000091-13. [More Information]
Zamfirescu, R., Day, M., Morris, M. (2021). mTORC1/2 signaling is downregulated by amino acid-free culture of mouse preimplantation embryos and is only partially restored by amino acid readdition. American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology, 320, C30-C44. [More Information]
Hardy, M., Day, M., Morris, M. (2021). Redox regulation and oxidative stress in mammalian oocytes and embryos developed in vivo and in vitro. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11374. [More Information]
Morris, M., Ozsoy, S., Zada, M., Zada, M., Zamfirescu, R., Todorova, M., Day, M. (2020). Selected Amino Acids Promote Mouse Pre-implantation Embryo Development in a Growth Factor-Like Manner. Frontiers in Physiology, 11(140), 1-12. [More Information]
Bahrami, M., Morris, M., Day, M. (2019). Amino acid supplementation of a simple inorganic salt solution supports efficient in vitro maturation (IVM) of bovine oocytes. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 1-10. [More Information]
Shparberg, R., Glover, H., Morris, M. (2019). Embryoid Body Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells into Neurectoderm and Neural Progenitors. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2029, 273-285. [More Information]
Jafari, B., Hamzeh-Mivehroud, M., Morris, M., Dastmalchi, S. (2019). Exploitation of phage display for the development of anti-cancer agents targeting fibroblast growth factor signaling pathways: New strategies to tackle an old challenge. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews, 46, 54-65. [More Information]
Glover, H., Morris, M., Shparberg, R. (2019). Modeling Mammalian Commitment to the Neural Lineage Using Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cells. Frontiers in Physiology, 10, 1-26. [More Information]
Tan, B., Kwek, J., Wong, C., Saner, N., Yap, C., Felquer, F., Morris, M., Gardner, D., Rathjen, P., Rathjen, J. (2016). Src family kinases and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases regulate pluripotent cell differentiation in culture. PloS One, 11(10), 1-21. [More Information]
Hamzeh-Mivehroud, M., Alizadeh, A., Morris, M., Church, W., Dastmalchi, S. (2013). Phage display as a technology delivering on the promise of peptide drug discovery. Drug Discovery Today, 18(23-24), 1144-1157. [More Information]
Lee, K., Tan, J., Morris, M., Rizzoti, K., Hughes, J., Cheah, P., Felquer, F., Liu, X., Piltz, S., Lovell-Badge, R., et al (2012). Congenital Hydrocephalus and Abnormal Subcommissural Organ Development in Sox3 Transgenic Mice. PloS One, 7(1), e29041 - 1-e29041 - 12. [More Information]
Shinar, Y., Obici, L., Aksentijevich, I., Bennetts, B., Austrup, F., Ceccherini, I., Costa, J., De Leener, A., Morris, M., et al (2012). Guidelines for the genetic diagnosis of hereditary recurrent fevers. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 71(10), 1599-1605. [More Information]
Werner, T., Morris, M., Dastmalchi, S., Church, W. (2012). Structural modelling and dynamics of proteins for insights into drug interactions. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 64(4), 323-343. [More Information]
Tan, B., Lonic, A., Morris, M., Rathjen, P., Rathjen, J. (2011). The amino acid transporter SNAT2 mediates L-proline-induced differentiation of ES cells. American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology, 300(6), C1270-C1279. [More Information]
Washington, J., Rathjen, J., Felquer, F., Lonic, A., Bettess, M., Hamra, N., Semendric, L., Tan, B., Lake, J., Keough, R., Morris, M., et al (2010). L-Proline induces differentiation of ES cells: a novel role for an amino acid in the regulation of pluripotent cells in culture. American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology, 298(5), C982-C992. [More Information]
Morris, M., Dastmalchi, S., Church, W. (2009). Rhodopsin: Structure, signal transduction and oligomerisation. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 41(4), 721-724. [More Information]
Dastmalchi, S., Church, W., Morris, M. (2008). Modelling the structures of G protein-coupled receptors aided by three-dimensional validation. BMC Bioinformatics, 9(S1), S14-1-S14-13. [More Information]
Dastmalchi, S., Beheshti, S., Morris, M., Church, W. (2007). Prediction of rotational orientation of transmembrane helical segments of integral membrane proteins using new environment-based propensities for amino acids derived from structural analyses. FEBS Journal, 274(10), 2653-2660. [More Information]
Dastmalchi, S., Church, W., Morris, M., Iismaa, T., Mackay, J. (2004). Presence of transient helical segments in the galanin-like peptide evident from 1H NMR, circular dichroism, and prediction studies. Journal of Structural Biology, 146(3), 261-271. [More Information]
Morris, M. (2003). The power and potential of embryonic stem cells to treat human diseases. Hygiene Today, 15, 11-12.
Dastmalchi, S., Kobus, F., Iismaa, T., Morris, M., Church, W. (2002). Comparison of the transmembrane helices of bovine rhodopsin in the crystal structure and the C Î± template based on cryo-electron microscopy maps and sequence analysis of the G protein-coupled receptors. Molecular Simulation, 28(8), 845-851. [More Information]
Dastmalchi, S., Morris, M., Church, W. (2001). Modeling of the structural features of integral-membrane proteins using reverse-environment prediction of integral membrane protein structure (REPIMPS). Protein Science, 10(8), 1529-1538.
Bebawy, M., Morris, M., Roufogalis, B. (2001). Selective modulation of P-glycoprotein-mediated drug resistance. British Journal of Cancer, 85(12), 1998-2003. [More Information]
Toonkool, P., Regan, D., Kuchel, P., Morris, M., Weiss, A. (2001). Thermodynamic and hydrodynamic properties of human tropoelastin. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276, 28042-28050.

show 28 more

Patents

Te Brake, W., Cameron, N., Azoulay, D., Day, M., Morris, M. (2023). Methods of embryo multiplication. Patent No. PCT/AU2023/050057.

By Year

Expand all

2024

Boumelhem, B., Fraser, S., Farajikhah, S., Shparberg, R., Morris, M., Bilek, M., Zhang, A., Akhavan, B., Fleming, S., Large, M. (2024). Modelling the development of biological structures displaying longitudinal geometries in vitro: culturing pluripotent stem cells on plasma-treated, growth factor-coupled polycaprolactone fibres. Engineered Regeneration, 5, 124-138. [More Information]

2023

Bahrami, M., Morris, M., Day, M. (2023). Glutamine, proline, and isoleucine support maturation and fertilisation of bovine oocytes. Theriogenology, 201, 59-67. [More Information]
Te Brake, W., Cameron, N., Azoulay, D., Day, M., Morris, M. (2023). Methods of embryo multiplication. Patent No. PCT/AU2023/050057.
Glover, H., Holliday, H., Shparberg, R., Winkler, D., Day, M., Morris, M. (2023). Signalling pathway crosstalk stimulated by L-proline drives mouse embryonic stem cells to primitive-ectoderm-like cells. Development, 150(20), dev201704. [More Information]
Treleaven, T., Zada, M., Nagarajah, R., Bailey, C., Rasko, J., Morris, M., Day, M. (2023). Stage-Specific L-Proline Uptake by Amino Acid Transporter Slc6a19/B0AT1 Is Required for Optimal Preimplantation Embryo Development in Mice. Cells, 12(1), 18. [More Information]

show 1 more

2022

Alizadeh, A., Morris, M., Church, W., Yaqoubi, S., Dastmalchi, S. (2022). A mechanistic perspective, clinical applications, and phage-display-assisted discovery of TNFα inhibitors. Drug Discovery Today, 27(2), 503-518. [More Information]
Glover, H., Shparberg, R., Morris, M. (2022). L-Proline Supplementation Drives Self-Renewing Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells to a Partially Primed Pluripotent State: The Early Primitive Ectoderm-Like Cell. In Pierre Osteil (Eds.), Epiblast Stem Cells, (pp. 11-24). New York: Humana, New York, NY. [More Information]
Mridha, A., Dargaville, T., Dalton, P., Carroll, L., Morris, M., Vaithilingam, V., Tuch, B. (2022). Prevascularized Retrievable Hybrid Implant to Enhance Function of Subcutaneous Encapsulated Islets. Tissue Engineering - Part A, 28, 212-224. [More Information]

2021

Treleaven, T., Hardy, M., Guttman-Jones, M., Morris, M., Day, M. (2021). In Vitro Fertilisation of Mouse Oocytes in L-Proline and L-Pipecolic Acid Improves Subsequent Development. Cells, 10(6), 1352-1-1352-16. [More Information]
Taylor, J., Patio, K., De Rubis, G., Morris, M., Evenhuis, C., Johnson, M., Bebawy, M. (2021). Membrane to cytosol redistribution of αII-spectrin drives extracellular vesicle biogenesis in malignant breast cells. Proteomics, 21(13-14), 2000091-1-2000091-13. [More Information]
Zamfirescu, R., Day, M., Morris, M. (2021). mTORC1/2 signaling is downregulated by amino acid-free culture of mouse preimplantation embryos and is only partially restored by amino acid readdition. American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology, 320, C30-C44. [More Information]
Hardy, M., Day, M., Morris, M. (2021). Redox regulation and oxidative stress in mammalian oocytes and embryos developed in vivo and in vitro. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11374. [More Information]

show 1 more

2020

Morris, M., Ozsoy, S., Zada, M., Zada, M., Zamfirescu, R., Todorova, M., Day, M. (2020). Selected Amino Acids Promote Mouse Pre-implantation Embryo Development in a Growth Factor-Like Manner. Frontiers in Physiology, 11(140), 1-12. [More Information]

2019

Bahrami, M., Morris, M., Day, M. (2019). Amino acid supplementation of a simple inorganic salt solution supports efficient in vitro maturation (IVM) of bovine oocytes. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 1-10. [More Information]
Shparberg, R., Glover, H., Morris, M. (2019). Embryoid Body Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells into Neurectoderm and Neural Progenitors. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2029, 273-285. [More Information]
Jafari, B., Hamzeh-Mivehroud, M., Morris, M., Dastmalchi, S. (2019). Exploitation of phage display for the development of anti-cancer agents targeting fibroblast growth factor signaling pathways: New strategies to tackle an old challenge. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews, 46, 54-65. [More Information]
Glover, H., Morris, M., Shparberg, R. (2019). Modeling Mammalian Commitment to the Neural Lineage Using Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cells. Frontiers in Physiology, 10, 1-26. [More Information]

show 1 more

2016

Tan, B., Kwek, J., Wong, C., Saner, N., Yap, C., Felquer, F., Morris, M., Gardner, D., Rathjen, P., Rathjen, J. (2016). Src family kinases and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases regulate pluripotent cell differentiation in culture. PloS One, 11(10), 1-21. [More Information]

2015

Sokouti, B., Church, W., Morris, M., Dastmalchi, S. (2015). Structural and computational approached in drug design for G protein-coupled receptors. In Mehdi Khosrow-Pour (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, (pp. 479-489). Hershey: IGI Global. [More Information]

2013

Hamzeh-Mivehroud, M., Alizadeh, A., Morris, M., Church, W., Dastmalchi, S. (2013). Phage display as a technology delivering on the promise of peptide drug discovery. Drug Discovery Today, 18(23-24), 1144-1157. [More Information]

2012

Lee, K., Tan, J., Morris, M., Rizzoti, K., Hughes, J., Cheah, P., Felquer, F., Liu, X., Piltz, S., Lovell-Badge, R., et al (2012). Congenital Hydrocephalus and Abnormal Subcommissural Organ Development in Sox3 Transgenic Mice. PloS One, 7(1), e29041 - 1-e29041 - 12. [More Information]
Shinar, Y., Obici, L., Aksentijevich, I., Bennetts, B., Austrup, F., Ceccherini, I., Costa, J., De Leener, A., Morris, M., et al (2012). Guidelines for the genetic diagnosis of hereditary recurrent fevers. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 71(10), 1599-1605. [More Information]
Morris, M. (2012). Modelling Differentiation of Pluripotent Stem Cells to the Three Germ Layers. In Kuldip Sidhu (Eds.), Frontiers in Pluripotent Stem Cells Research and Therapeutic Potentials: Bench-to-Bedside, (pp. 68-82). United Arab Emirates: Bentham Science Publishers. [More Information]
Werner, T., Morris, M., Dastmalchi, S., Church, W. (2012). Structural modelling and dynamics of proteins for insights into drug interactions. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 64(4), 323-343. [More Information]

show 1 more

2011

Tan, B., Lonic, A., Morris, M., Rathjen, P., Rathjen, J. (2011). The amino acid transporter SNAT2 mediates L-proline-induced differentiation of ES cells. American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology, 300(6), C1270-C1279. [More Information]

2010

Washington, J., Rathjen, J., Felquer, F., Lonic, A., Bettess, M., Hamra, N., Semendric, L., Tan, B., Lake, J., Keough, R., Morris, M., et al (2010). L-Proline induces differentiation of ES cells: a novel role for an amino acid in the regulation of pluripotent cells in culture. American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology, 298(5), C982-C992. [More Information]

2009

Morris, M., Dastmalchi, S., Church, W. (2009). Rhodopsin: Structure, signal transduction and oligomerisation. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 41(4), 721-724. [More Information]

2008

Dastmalchi, S., Church, W., Morris, M. (2008). Modelling the structures of G protein-coupled receptors aided by three-dimensional validation. BMC Bioinformatics, 9(S1), S14-1-S14-13. [More Information]

2007

Dastmalchi, S., Beheshti, S., Morris, M., Church, W. (2007). Prediction of rotational orientation of transmembrane helical segments of integral membrane proteins using new environment-based propensities for amino acids derived from structural analyses. FEBS Journal, 274(10), 2653-2660. [More Information]

2005

Morris, M., Rathjen, J., Keough, R., Rathjen, P. (2005). Biology of Embryonic Stem Cells. In Jon S. Odorico, Su-Chun Zhang, Roger A. Pedersen (Eds.), Human Embryonic Stem Cells, (pp. 1-28). United States: Garland Science/BIOS Scientific Publishers.

2004

Dastmalchi, S., Church, W., Morris, M., Iismaa, T., Mackay, J. (2004). Presence of transient helical segments in the galanin-like peptide evident from 1H NMR, circular dichroism, and prediction studies. Journal of Structural Biology, 146(3), 261-271. [More Information]

2003

Morris, M. (2003). The power and potential of embryonic stem cells to treat human diseases. Hygiene Today, 15, 11-12.

2002

Dastmalchi, S., Kobus, F., Iismaa, T., Morris, M., Church, W. (2002). Comparison of the transmembrane helices of bovine rhodopsin in the crystal structure and the C Î± template based on cryo-electron microscopy maps and sequence analysis of the G protein-coupled receptors. Molecular Simulation, 28(8), 845-851. [More Information]

2001

Dastmalchi, S., Morris, M., Church, W. (2001). Modeling of the structural features of integral-membrane proteins using reverse-environment prediction of integral membrane protein structure (REPIMPS). Protein Science, 10(8), 1529-1538.
Bebawy, M., Morris, M., Roufogalis, B. (2001). Selective modulation of P-glycoprotein-mediated drug resistance. British Journal of Cancer, 85(12), 1998-2003. [More Information]
Toonkool, P., Regan, D., Kuchel, P., Morris, M., Weiss, A. (2001). Thermodynamic and hydrodynamic properties of human tropoelastin. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276, 28042-28050.

Selected Grants

2011

Upgrade of the Palm Duoflex Combi Laser Microdissection and Optical Tweezers System to a High-resolution and Improved Live-cell Imaging Platform using an Apotome.2 Slider and Associated Software, Cole L, Mason R, Richardson D, Phillips W, Bao B, Buckland M, Morris M, Dos Remedios C, Rebecca L Cooper Medical Research Foundation/Equipment Grant

2009

Directed differentiation of ES cells, Morris M, DVC Research/Bridging Support Grant

2008

A new Laser Microdissection Microscope with a unique pressure catapulting technique allows isolation of pure samples for subsequent downstream molecular analyses, Halliday G, Morris B, Mason R, Murphy C, Bishop A, Leamey C, Joshua D, Lee C, Iland H, Pamphlett R, Richardson D, King N, Hunt N, Arnold J, Morris M, Protti D, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)/Equipment Grant

2000

Differentiation of human myeloid leukemia cell lines by the novel P2Y11 receptor: analysis of biochemical mechanism by multiwell plate, Conigrave A, Morris M, Clive & Vera Ramaciotti Foundation/Project Support
Development of a molecular modelling method for integral-membrane proteins and its application to G protein-coupled receptors and the galanin receptor system., Morris M, DVC Research/Research and Development Scheme: Research and Development (R&D)

1999

Development of a molecular modelling method for integral-membrane proteins, Morris M, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Small Grants

Faculty of Medicine and Health

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Associate Professor Michael Morris

Publications

By Type

By Year

Selected Grants

2011

2009

2008

2000

1999