ABSTRACT
Rapid and precise wound healing and regeneration are vital for the survival and health of animals. While many animals can heal wounds, more complex organisms like vertebrates and insects often cannot fully regenerate tissues and organs. In contrast, sponges, with their simple body structures, have an exceptional ability to regenerate, rapidly repairing tissues and even rebuilding their bodies from dissociated cells.

To identify genes regulating these remarkable abilities, I created a detailed single-cell gene expression map for Sycon capricorn, a species of calcareous sponge from the East coast of Australia. By examining 10,747 individual cells and identifying eleven distinct cell types and states, I uncovered how different genes are activated in specific cells during early regeneration. I also tracked how gene expression changed over twelve time points, from immediately after injury to 90 minutes later, allowing observation of the regeneration process unfolding at a very detailed level.

My findings revealed that while some genes are active across many cell types, others are specifically expressed in certain cell families. Genes that control a range of cell behaviours, including movement, adhesion, proliferation and differentiation, were found to be precisely regulated upon injury. This work, in conjunction with bulk transcriptome sequencing data, gives us a clearer picture of how regeneration works in animals with remarkable regenerative capacity.

By establishing the first single-cell atlas for calcareous sponges, this study demonstrates the potential of Sycon capricorn as a model to explore a range of biological processes. For example, it provides valuable insights into the evolution of animal cell types and tissue layers, as well as allows comparisons between regeneration mechanisms utilised by morphologically simple and complex life forms.

BIOGRAPHY
I began my studies in regenerative medicine in 2013 and joined the Adamska lab in 2019 to focus on the mechanically induced injury response in Sycon capricorn. My master’s research utilised ChIP-seq to investigate the dynamic changes in histone modifications during the early stages of regeneration, laying the groundwork for my PhD studies. In my doctoral research, I combined scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq to elucidate the temporal gene expression dynamics that regulate cellular behaviours during injury-induced regeneration. It has been a privilege to dedicate over a decade to advancing a field that profoundly inspires me.