"Muscle-man" joins Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute

Media release
26 April 2009

Professor Nadia Rosenthal, Director Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), today announced the appointment of Professor Christophe Marcelle as Group Leader at the Institute.

Prof Marcelle currently leads a research group at the Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille Luminy (IBDML) at the University of Marseille in France.

"Christophe Marcelle is an outstanding researcher in embryonic development", said Professor Rosenthal.  "His appointment follows a world-wide search for leading researchers to join the newly-formed Institute", she said.

ARMI is supported by funds provided by the Victorian Government and Monash University.

Professor Marcelle is a world leader in the application of developmental biology to the study of muscle growth and regeneration.  His work has illuminated key aspects of how muscle precursor cells form in the early embryo and how they contribute to muscle growth throughout life.

His team discovered how stem cells develop into specific muscle cells and the biological environment required for this to occur.

Professor Marcelle's work at ARMI will continue his focus on muscle development and stem cell biology, with the ultimate aim to understand how the muscle organ system forms.

Professor Marcelle is excited about his move to Australia and joining ARMI.

"The format and spirit of the Institute, along with its selection as headquarters for EMBL Australia was instrumental in my decision to relocate my research group", Professor Marcelle said.

"The EMBL model is a proven way to drive excellence in science and scientific collaboration. These are crucial to the success of a modern research laboratory", he said.

Professor Marcelle will take up his new appointment from mid 2009.

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