Regulatory microRNAs and Gut health Research

Mugdha Joglekar

BSc, MSc, PhD
Mugdha is a researcher trained in molecular developmental biology and immunology, currently focusing on three distinct areas related to i) microRNA biomarkers in type 1 diabetes, ii) microRNA regulators of pregnancy complications, and iii) gut health and obesity. Mugdha received a PhD in 2010 for her work in identifying microRNA regulators of human pancreas development and function carried out at the National Center for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, India and the University of Bath, United Kingdom. She decided to pursue her interests in immunology and type 1 diabetes through post-doctoral training with Prof. Helen Thomas and Prof. Thomas Kay at St. Vincent's Institute for Medical Research (Melbourne). Mugdha then moved to the University of Sydney in 2012 where she continued to work closely within the Islet Biology and Diabetes group through her three (national/international) competitive fellowships (JDRFI post-doctoral fellowship 2011-2015, ADS Skip Martin early career fellowship 2016-17, JDRFI Advanced post-doctoral fellowship 2016-19 and JDRFI Career transition award 2019-21). She started her group in 2019, focussing on understanding the regulatory role of microRNAs in metabolic health, pregnancy complications and diabetes. Currently, she leads the regulatory microRNA and gut biology research at Western Sydney University and is affiliated with the Translational Health Research Institute (THRI), Western Sydney University. She also works closely with clinician-researchers and academics within the Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Translational Research Unit.
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Our research -

What do we do?
We aim to identify and validate the role of microRNAs as regulators of gene expression. This involves assessing the role of microRNAs that are packaged and transported (via exosomes/EVs) to other cells, microRNAs that regulate gene silencing and assessing the impact of these small RNA species in gut health, gut permeability, inflammation, obesity and diabetes. As part of my collaboration with A/Prof. Hardikar's group, we are engaged in assessing the role of other RNA species (including circRNAs) as miRNA regulators/ miRNA-sponges in islet biology.
How do we do?
Scientific methodologies involve assessing specific target RNAs using genetically-engineered cell lines, over-expression and knock-down using puromycin-selected and doxycycline-regulated over-expression systems (or equivalent) as well as siRNA-mediated knock-down technologies and fluorescence or luciferase reporter systems. We use large biobanks of clinical samples/data through collaborating clinician-researchers and academicians as well as validation in human cell samples, cell/tissue biobanks and in our own as well as publicly available datasets.
Who may benefit?
Understanding the regulatory role of microRNAs in glucose-insulin metabolism is the main focus of my research. My basic research focus is progressing to areas that would benefit individuals with type 1 diabetes or help in understanding the potential of these regulators in future diseases. Having witnessed pregnancy complications, I am also interested in researching this area of gestational diabetes and foetal programming, specifically with relevance to understanding how basic biological processes can drive/lead to future disease, and identify newer drug targets to prevent disease progression.

Selected current projects -

  • PREDICT T1D study: Plasma RNA Evaluation for Diagnosis of Islet Cell death and progression To Type 1 Diabetes (my JDRFI career transition award, assessing regulatory microRNAs in a T1D microRNA signature that I developed with A/Prof Hardikar).
  • ncRNA regulators of ageing and disease (with A/Prof Anand Hardikar, Prof. Ronald Ma, Prof. Ranjan Yajnik)
  • A microRNA NanoChip Technology for Predicting Childhood Type 1 Diabetes Risk (with A/Prof Anand Hardikar, Prof. Jenny Couper, Dr. Megan Penno and our industry partner Sognef Inc.; 2022-24 NHMRC Ideas grant)
  • Immunoregulatory role of microRNAs in islet biology (several projects in collaboration with investigators including A/Prof Hardikar, Prof. Helen Thomas, Prof. Wayne Hawthorne, Prof. Flemming Pociot, Dr. Simranjeet Kaur and Prof. Louise Dalgaard)
  • Identifying microRNAs associated with pregnancy complications and diabetes (two different projects with collaborating investigators at WSU; Dist. Prof. David Simmons, and in North America; Prof. Mike Wheeler and Prof. Erica Gunderson).

My most recent publications by different subject areas: