Catching up with 2024 Metcalf Prize winner Rhiannon Werder
Dr Rhiannon Werder is growing ‘mini-lungs in a dish’, which mimic the complexity and function of lungs in living people.
The Group Leader at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) has already used stem cell-derived lung cells to create models of human genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, and acquired lung diseases and infections, including the common cold.
Now she plans to grow three-dimensional models of human lung tissue, or ‘mini-lungs’, in a dish to better investigate respiratory infections and drive new treatment discoveries. She is also using stem cell-derived models to investigate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This progressive, incurable lung disease, often comprising chronic bronchitis and emphysema, makes breathing difficult.
In November 2024 she received one of our two annual $60,000 Metcalf Prizes (pictured right, between Foundation Director Caroline Gargett and General Manager Graeme Mehegan). We caught up with Rhiannon to see how her career has progressed.
How has your work advanced since you won a Metcalf Prize?
My work has advanced in developing new protocols to generate a broader range of lung cell types for incorporation into our miniature lung tissue models. This has allowed us to build more physiologically relevant systems. Our first publication in this space has just been accepted!
This progress has translated into several major milestones, including receiving the Rebecca Cooper Foundation Al & Val Rosenstrauss Fellowship and an MRFF Chronic Respiratory Conditions grant focused on shared mechanisms of exacerbations in preschool wheeze and COPD.
The Metcalf funding was pivotal in helping us generate the preliminary data needed to secure these grants. In addition, the recognition from the prize provided a valuable boost to my profile at a key stage, helping to build collaborations and momentum for my research program.
What first drew you into stem cell research?
I was initially drawn to stem cell research by a curiosity about fundamental biology and a desire to better understand how complex cell types and tissues form. At the same time, I was motivated by the limitations of existing models for studying human disease. Stem cell systems provided a way to study disease processes directly in human cells, which felt both scientifically exciting and highly meaningful.
What’s the biggest difference you want your research to make and why?
The biggest difference I want my research to make is to enable the development of new treatments for respiratory diseases. Progress in this area has been relatively slow compared to other fields, and as a result, patients continue to live with significant symptoms and limited therapeutic options. Driving more effective, targeted interventions is what motivates my work and is the impact I am most committed to achieving.
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