PROFILE
Professor Minghao Zheng
Started at UWA: 1989
Translating bone and joint research into clinical practice
We want to create a positive impact on society through research in regenerative medicine. We would like to sustain an environment that supports international activities and ensure the learning experience includes an international dimension and opportunities. Professor Minghao Zheng
Professor Minghao Zheng converts innovative research on bone and joint regeneration from the laboratory into real-life situations.
After studying medicine at Shantou University and Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences in China, Professor Zheng came to UWA in 1989, receiving a PhD in 1993 and Doctor of Medicine in 2000. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, UK, and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. He is currently a member of Faculty 1000 Prime and Associate Editor of Stem Cell Research & Therapy.
Professor Zheng holds the position of Winthrop Professor of Orthopaedic Research at UWA. International appointments include Chung Kong Scholar Lecturing Professor at Zhejiang University, China, as well as Visiting Professor at a number of other universities in the world.
Professor Zheng is a global leader in the field of regeneration of tendon and cartilage using a patient’s own stem cells. He pioneered the development of collagen scaffolds and cell therapy to treat cartilage, tendon and ligament injury and degradation. His work on giant cell tumour of bone is used by the World Health Organisation for the official classification of bone tumours.
Professor Zheng is also Associate Dean (International) in UWA's Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, a role in which he promotes international and transnational education. An example is the global medical education program where biomedical science and clinical medicine studies are integrated between UWA and an overseas university to deliver bilingual graduates. Other programs that allow international medical students to gain experience in an Australian setting include short-term coursework studies, basic and clinical research, and clinical workshops.
In addition to academic and university leadership roles, Professor Zheng is Co-Founder and Consultant Chief Scientific Officer of Orthocell Limited (ASX:OCC), a company established to commercialise orthopaedic innovations.
More than 200 peer-reviewed papers published in international journals
Honoured by Genzyme in Boston for leadership, commitment and dedication to the advancement of Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (MACI)
CelGro collagen scaffold gained CE mark for clinical use in guided bone regeneration in 2017
UWA welcomes Chinese and Vietnamese students
Run by coordinator Professor Minghao Zheng, more than 130 medical and health science students from China and Vietnam are spending a month at The University of Western Australia participating in a research training program.
Read moreRepairing bodies with lab-grown tendons
In the not too distant future, tendons grown in a laboratory will likely be used to replace those ruptured on the sporting field and elsewhere. WA team led by Minghao Zheng at UWA’s school of surgery (Orthopaedics) in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, UWA has already shown functional human tendons successfully grown from cultured tendon cells in a bioreactor.
Read moreOrthocell looks to heal and prosper
Produced via an agreement with Murdoch University and The University of Western Australia, Orthocell has been in development for more than a decade. It works by extracting cells from the body which are grown at Murdoch and then injected back into the body. Although Mr Anderson recognised Perth was not necessarily the global centre for stem-cell research, he said the research team, which included UWA Winthrop Professor Minghao Zheng, had been involved in stem-cell research since 1999.
Read moreEU approval for Orthocell’s CelGro
CelGro, for a range of dental bone and soft tissue regeneration procedures, can now be marketed and sold within the European Union. CelGro is manufactured by Orthocell at its Good Manufactuiring Practices licensed facility in WA, using a tissue engineering process developed in conjunction with Professor Minghao Zheng and the University of Western Australia.
Read moreFunding
2018
Orthocell Pty Ltd.
- 'New Sponsorship of Research Assistant Position'
- Professor Minghao Zheng
Orthocell Pty Ltd.
- 'Sponsorship of Research Associate Position - Euphemie Bassonga'
- Professor Minghao Zheng
2017
WA Department of Health: Medical and Health Research Infrastructure Fund
- 'MHRIF Round 21 - Minghao Zheng'
- Professor Minghao Zheng
2016
Griffith University ex ARC Linkage Projects
- 'Intelligent training (iTraining) for the human Archilles tendon [ARC Funds]'
- Professor David Lloyd, Professor Minghao Zheng, Professor Rod Barrett, Professor Jillianne Cook, Associate Professor Daniel James, Dr Thor Besier
Griffith University ex ARC Linkage Projects
- 'Intelligent training (iTraining) for the human Archilles tendon [Partner Org Funds]'
- Professor David Lloyd, Professor Minghao Zheng, Professor Rod Barrett, Professor Jillianne Cook, Associate Professor Daniel James, Dr Thor Besier
WA Department of Health: Medical and Health Research Infrastructure Fund.
- 'MHRIF Round 20 - Minghao Zheng'
- Professor Minghao Zheng
