# Allison Pettit

**Source**: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/7452
**Parent**: https://about.uq.edu.au/faculties-institutes/hmbs/about/leaders

Professor

# Allison Pettit

Email:
:   [allison.pettit@mater.uq.edu.au](mailto:allison.pettit@mater.uq.edu.au)

## Positions

Director, Mater Research Institute - UQ
:   Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences

Affiliate of Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine
:   Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine
:   Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences

## Overview

### Background

Professor Pettit leads the Bones and Immunology Research Group at Mater Research Institute-UQ and is Director of Biomedical Research for Mater Research. Professor Pettit has led multidisciplinary research discovering intersecting biological mechanisms across the fields of immunology, rheumatology, cancer biology, haematology and bone biology. Professor Pettit is currently a UQ Amplify recipient associated with an ARC Future Fellowship, 2017-2020 and CIA on an NHMRC Ideas Grant, 2022-25. Major contributions led by Professor Pettit include the paradigm shifting discovery of a novel population of resident macrophages, osteal macrophages (osteomacs), and their role in promoting bone formation and bone regeneration after injury. Her team have published over 17 manuscripts based on this original discovery (with over 1700 citations) including translation of this basic research discovery toward eluciating novel disease mechanism from cancer bone metastasis to osteoporosis. This also led to the novel discovery of bone marrow resident macrophage contributions to supporting blood stem cells niches and the key role that these cells play in protecting this vital niche from cancer therapies. Bone marrow and specifically haematopoietic stem cell damage is one of the most serious and life-threatening side effects of cancer therapies. Here discoveries are cited in over 117 patent documents and she is currently collaborating with a major pharmaceutical partner.

Professor Pettit's leadership and achievements have been recognised through multiple awards including the 2019 UQ Faculty of Medicine Leader of the Year (Academic), Women in Technology 2018 Life Sciences Outstanding Achievement Award and becoming a Fellow of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research. Professor Pettit has been invited to give numerous presentations at national and international conferences including Seoul Symposium on Bone Health, Asia-Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology Congress and a prestigious American Society of Bone and Mineral Research Meet-the-Professor session. Professor Pettit is and Associate Editor for the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, is an past Council member for the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, and chairs or serves on numerous committees including the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. PhD candidates under Professor Pettit's supervision have all been supported by scholarships (including 2 x NHMRC), received numerous local and national awards (e.g. Dr Alexander, ASMR QLD Premier Postgraduate Award, 2011 and Dr Lena Batoon won the UQ Faculty of Medicine Graduate of the Year Award, 2021), all had high quality first author publications at completion and 2 received UQ Dean’s Commendations.

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### Availability

Professor Allison Pettit is:
:   Available for supervision
:   Media expert

### Fields of research

[Biological Sciences](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/search?research-field=4771)
[Clinical sciences](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/search?research-field=4979)

### Qualifications

- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), Griffith University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

### Research impacts

- Discovery that the transcription factor RelB is a critical molecular mediator of dendritic cell antigen presentation and extended this to show that RelB expressing dendritic cells have critical roles in the initiation and perpetuation of joint inflammation in inflammatory arthritis. These discoveries were used by my principal HDR supervisor (Professor Ranjeny Thomas; https://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/396) as the knowledge platform to develop the first vaccine therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.
- Demonstration that RANKL is the essential and rate limiting cytokine required for osteoclast formation and focal bone erosion in inflammatory arthritis. This research output influenced pharmaceutical industry development of the blockbuster drug Denosumab.
- Leadership of the paradigm shifting discovery of a novel population of resident macrophages, osteal macrophages (osteomacs), and their novel role in promoting osteoblastic bone formation and bone regeneration after injury. This has completely changed how the bone and mineral/orthopaedic research field views macrophage contributions to bone health and disease and has influence parallel fields including tissue regeneration and biomaterials.
- Discovery that macrophages regulate haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche homeostasis. The landmark paper on which I am co-first author is a Web of Science highly cited paper (top 1% or research outputs) that has been cited by papers spanning 46 research fields. We have since extended this discovery to demonstrate that resident macrophage resilience to lethal radiation is essential for bone marrow recovery and successful HSC engraftment and haematopoietic reconstitution post-HSC transplantation (senior author manuscript in *Blood*, 2018).
- Exposed that resident tissue macropahges are fragmented during tissue single cell suspension generation, leaving behind encapsulated remnants of themselves that have detectable cell membrane proteins, intracellur proteins and reporter molecules and RNAs. This undermindes the accuracy of burgeoning high parameter technologies focussed on single cell analysis (e.g. flow cytometry, single cell RNAseq, CITESeq, etc) as depending on the tissue disaggregation and analysis strategy, macrophages are under-represented relative to their abundance in tissues and/or macrophage-expressed genes are mistakenly attributed to non-macrophage cells and vice versa

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## Works

[Search Professor Allison Pettit’s works on UQ eSpace](http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/list/author_id/878)

[All
(154)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/7452/all)
[Journal Article
(87)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/7452/4748)
[Other Outputs
(1)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/7452/4749)
[Conference Publication
(61)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/7452/4751)
[Book Chapter
(5)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/7452/4752)

2025

Conference Publication

##### Endotoxemia causes inflammatory bowel diseases-associated anemia and inflammation via TLR4 expressed by CD169+ macrophages

Bisht, Kavita, Zhong, Ruiqing, An, Yoon-Kyo, Shatunova, Svetlana, Wang, Ran, Barbier, Valerie, Tang, Yifu, Giri, Rabina, Amiss, Anna, Alexander, Kylie, Millard, Susan, Pettit, Allison, Winkler, Ingrid, Begun, Jakob and Levesque, Jean-Pierre (2025). Endotoxemia causes inflammatory bowel diseases-associated anemia and inflammation via TLR4 expressed by CD169+ macrophages. 54th Annual Scientific Meeting of the ISEH - International Society for Experimental Hematology, Kumamoto, Japan, 24-27 September 2025. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.exphem.2025.105131

[Endotoxemia causes inflammatory bowel diseases-associated anemia and inflammation via TLR4 expressed by CD169+ macrophages](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:ed041f3)

2025

Conference Publication

##### Bone marrow macrophage resilience is associated with bone marrow recovery and hematopoiesis postchemotherapy injury

Kaur, Simranpreet, Millard, Susan, Choo, Fang-Ming, Mate, Shrutika, Yu, Shuiyuan, Guo, Jintao and Pettit, Allison (2025). Bone marrow macrophage resilience is associated with bone marrow recovery and hematopoiesis postchemotherapy injury. 54th Annual Scientific Meeting of the ISEH - International Society for Experimental Hematology, Kumamoto, Japan, 24-27 September 2025. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.exphem.2025.105118

[Bone marrow macrophage resilience is associated with bone marrow recovery and hematopoiesis postchemotherapy injury](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:99875ec)

2025

Journal Article

##### Correction: Mutation in the rat interleukin 34 gene impacts macrophage development, homeostasis and inflammation

Huang, Stephen, Patkar, Omkar L., Schulze, Sarah, Carter-Cusack, Dylan, Millard, Susan, Ranpura, Ginell, Green, Emma K., Maxwell, Emma, Kanesarajah, Jeeva, Cowin, Gary, Stimson, Damion, Kurniawan, Nyoman D, Keshvari, Sahar, Allavena, Rachel, Pettit, Allison R., Irvine, Katharine M. and Hume, David A. (2025). Correction: Mutation in the rat interleukin 34 gene impacts macrophage development, homeostasis and inflammation. Life Science Alliance, 8 (10) e202503435, e202503435. doi: 10.26508/lsa.202503435

[Correction: Mutation in the rat interleukin 34 gene impacts macrophage development, homeostasis and inflammation](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:c4e9db0)

2025

Journal Article

##### Mutation in the rat interleukin 34 gene impacts macrophage development, homeostasis, and inflammation

Huang, Stephen, Patkar, Omkar L., Schulze, Sarah, Carter-Cusack, Dylan, Millard, Susan, Ranpura, Ginell, Green, Emma K., Maxwell, Emma, Kanesarajah, Jeeva, Cowin, Gary, Stimson, Damion, Kurniawan, Nyoman D., Keshvari, Sahar, Allavena, Rachel, Pettit, Allison R., Irvine, Katharine M. and Hume, David A. (2025). Mutation in the rat interleukin 34 gene impacts macrophage development, homeostasis, and inflammation. Life Science Alliance, 8 (9) e202503264, e202503264. doi: 10.26508/lsa.202503264

[Mutation in the rat interleukin 34 gene impacts macrophage development, homeostasis, and inflammation](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:2026764)

2025

Journal Article

##### A comprehensive protocol for simplified mouse DRG fixation, processing and F4/80 immunohistochemistry: overcoming common challenges

Tay, Nicolette, Alshammari, Ammar, Kaur, Simranpreet, Pettit, Allison, Mu, Erica, Reid, Anna, Winkler, Ingrid, Vetter, Irina and Starobova, Hana (2025). A comprehensive protocol for simplified mouse DRG fixation, processing and F4/80 immunohistochemistry: overcoming common challenges. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 418 110434, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2025.110434

[A comprehensive protocol for simplified mouse DRG fixation, processing and F4/80 immunohistochemistry: overcoming common challenges](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:50f70b0)

2024

Conference Publication

##### Endotoxemia As Possible Cause of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases-Associated Anemia

Bisht, Kavita, An, Yoon-Kyo, Shatunova, Svetlana, Wang, Ran, Barbier, Valerie, Giri, Rabina, Amiss, Anna, Tang, Yifu, Alexander, Kylie, Millard, Susan, Winkler, Ingrid G., Pettit, Allison, Begun, Jakob and Levesque, Jean-Pierre (2024). Endotoxemia As Possible Cause of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases-Associated Anemia. 66th ASH Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA United States, 7-10 December 2024. Washington, DC United States: American Society of Hematology. doi: 10.1182/blood-2024-193349

[Endotoxemia As Possible Cause of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases-Associated Anemia](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:a890ca1)

2024

Conference Publication

##### An Inactivating Mutation in Rat IL-34 Reveals Redundant and Nonredundant Functions of CSF1-IL-34 Signalling in Homeostasis and Inflammation

Huang, Stephen, Patkar, Omkar, Schulze, Sarah, Carter-Cusack, Dylan, Ranpura, Ginell, Maxwell, Emma, Keshvari, Sahar, Millard, Susan, Cowin, Gary, Kurniawan, Nyoman, Pettit, Allison, Irvine, Katharine M. and Hume, David A. (2024). An Inactivating Mutation in Rat IL-34 Reveals Redundant and Nonredundant Functions of CSF1-IL-34 Signalling in Homeostasis and Inflammation. 66th ASH Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, United States, 7-10 December 2024. Washington, DC, United States: American Society of Hematology. doi: 10.1182/blood-2024-208881

[An Inactivating Mutation in Rat IL-34 Reveals Redundant and Nonredundant Functions of CSF1-IL-34 Signalling in Homeostasis and Inflammation](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:de36345)

2024

Journal Article

##### Induction of osteoblast apoptosis stimulates macrophage efferocytosis and paradoxical bone formation

Batoon, Lena, Koh, Amy Jean, Millard, Susan Marie, Grewal, Jobanpreet, Choo, Fang Ming, Kannan, Rahasudha, Kinnaird, Aysia, Avey, Megan, Teslya, Tatyana, Pettit, Allison Robyn, McCauley, Laurie K. and Roca, Hernan (2024). Induction of osteoblast apoptosis stimulates macrophage efferocytosis and paradoxical bone formation. Bone Research, 12 (1) 43, 1-14. doi: 10.1038/s41413-024-00341-9

[Induction of osteoblast apoptosis stimulates macrophage efferocytosis and paradoxical bone formation](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:c947e3f)

2024

Journal Article

##### Relative contributions of osteal macrophages and osteoclasts to postnatal bone development in CSF1R-deficient rats and phenotype rescue following wild-type bone marrow cell transfer

Batoon, Lena, Keshvari, Sahar, Irvine, Katharine M., Ho, Eileen, Caruso, Melanie, Patkar, Omkar L., Sehgal, Anuj, Millard, Susan M., Hume, David A. and Pettit, Allison R. (2024). Relative contributions of osteal macrophages and osteoclasts to postnatal bone development in CSF1R-deficient rats and phenotype rescue following wild-type bone marrow cell transfer. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 116 (4), 753-765. doi: 10.1093/jleuko/qiae077

[Relative contributions of osteal macrophages and osteoclasts to postnatal bone development in CSF1R-deficient rats and phenotype rescue following wild-type bone marrow cell transfer](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:61ba31d)

2024

Journal Article

##### Reversible expansion of tissue macrophages in response to macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF1) transforms systemic lipid and carbohydrate metabolism

Keshvari, Sahar, Masson, Jesse J.R., Ferrari-Cestari, Michelle, Bodea, Liviu-Gabriel, Nooru-Mohamed, Fathima, Tse, Brian W.C., Sokolowski, Kamil A., Batoon, Lena, Patkar, Omkar L., Sullivan, Mitchell A., Ebersbach, Hilmar, Stutz, Cian, Parton, Robert G., Summers, Kim M., Pettit, Allison R., Hume, David A. and Irvine, Katharine M. (2024). Reversible expansion of tissue macrophages in response to macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF1) transforms systemic lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 326 (2), E149-E165. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00347.2023

[Reversible expansion of tissue macrophages in response to macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF1) transforms systemic lipid and carbohydrate metabolism](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:ecc3c30)

2023

Journal Article

##### Macrophage heterogeneity in the single cell era: facts and artefacts

Hume, David A., Millard, Susan M. and Pettit, Allison R. (2023). Macrophage heterogeneity in the single cell era: facts and artefacts. Blood Journal, 142 (16), 1339-1347. doi: 10.1182/blood.2023020597

[Macrophage heterogeneity in the single cell era: facts and artefacts](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:0cc571d)

2023

Conference Publication

##### 1511 Macrophages regulate endothelial progenitors’ quiescence and self-renewal during homeostasis and cutaneous wound healing via paracrine signaling

Sim, S., Kaur, S., Styke, C., Millard, S., Blumenthal, A., Pettit, A. and Khosrotehrani, K. (2023). 1511 Macrophages regulate endothelial progenitors’ quiescence and self-renewal during homeostasis and cutaneous wound healing via paracrine signaling. 1st International Societies for Investigative Dermatology Meeting, Tokyo, Japan, 10 - 13 May 2023. Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.03.1528

[1511 Macrophages regulate endothelial progenitors’ quiescence and self-renewal during homeostasis and cutaneous wound healing via paracrine signaling](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:b0535eb)

2023

Conference Publication

##### Mechanisms underlying the rescue of postnatal bone development in CSF1R-deficient rats following wild-type bone marrow cell transfer

Batoon, Lena, Keshvari, Sahar, Irvine, Katharine, Caruso, Melanie, Patkar, Omkar, Sehgal, Anuj, Millard, Susan, Hume, David and Pettit, Allison (2023). Mechanisms underlying the rescue of postnatal bone development in CSF1R-deficient rats following wild-type bone marrow cell transfer. 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Austin, TX, United States, 9-12 September 2022. Hoboken, NJ, United States: Wiley-Blackwell.

[Mechanisms underlying the rescue of postnatal bone development in CSF1R-deficient rats following wild-type bone marrow cell transfer](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:a477587)

2023

Conference Publication

##### HSC Niche Molecular Deconvolution Toward Improved Understanding of Intrinsic And Extrinsic HSC Regulation

Millard, Susan, Kaur, Simranpreet, Choo, Fang Ming and Pettit, Allison (2023). HSC Niche Molecular Deconvolution Toward Improved Understanding of Intrinsic And Extrinsic HSC Regulation. 52nd Annual Meeting of the International-Society-for-Experimental-Hematology (ISEH), New York, NY United States, 17-20 August 2023. Philadelphia, PA United States: Elsevier.

[HSC Niche Molecular Deconvolution Toward Improved Understanding of Intrinsic And Extrinsic HSC Regulation](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:2296981)

2023

Conference Publication

##### HSC Niche Molecular Deconvolution Toward Improved Understanding Of Intrinsic And Extrinsic HSC Regulation

Millard, Susan, Kaur, Simranpreet, Choo, Fang Ming and Pettit, Allison (2023). HSC Niche Molecular Deconvolution Toward Improved Understanding Of Intrinsic And Extrinsic HSC Regulation. 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting of the ISEH – International Society for Experimental Hematology, New York, NY United States, 17-20 August 2023. Philadelphia, PA United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.exphem.2023.06.259

[HSC Niche Molecular Deconvolution Toward Improved Understanding Of Intrinsic And Extrinsic HSC Regulation](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:8c52308)

2022

Journal Article

##### Interleukin‐1 is overexpressed in injured muscles following spinal cord injury and promotes neurogenic heterotopic ossification

Tseng, Hsu‐Wen, Kulina, Irina, Girard, Dorothée, Gueguen, Jules, Vaquette, Cedryck, Salga, Marjorie, Fleming, Whitney, Jose, Beulah, Millard, Susan M., Pettit, Allison R., Schroder, Kate, Thomas, Gethin, Wheeler, Lawrie, Genêt, François, Banzet, Sébastien, Alexander, Kylie A. and Levesque, Jean‐Pierre (2022). Interleukin‐1 is overexpressed in injured muscles following spinal cord injury and promotes neurogenic heterotopic ossification. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 37 (3), 531-546. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.4482

[Interleukin‐1 is overexpressed in injured muscles following spinal cord injury and promotes neurogenic heterotopic ossification](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:95ca46d)

2022

Journal Article

##### Spinal cord injury reprograms muscle fibroadipogenic progenitors to form heterotopic bones within muscles

Tseng, Hsu-Wen, Girard, Dorothée, Alexander, Kylie A., Millard, Susan M., Torossian, Frédéric, Anginot, Adrienne, Fleming, Whitney, Gueguen, Jules, Goriot, Marie-Emmanuelle, Clay, Denis, Jose, Beulah, Nowlan, Bianca, Pettit, Allison R., Salga, Marjorie, Genêt, François, Bousse-Kerdilès, Marie-Caroline Le, Banzet, Sébastien and Lévesque, Jean-Pierre (2022). Spinal cord injury reprograms muscle fibroadipogenic progenitors to form heterotopic bones within muscles. Bone Research, 10 (1) 22, 22. doi: 10.1038/s41413-022-00188-y

[Spinal cord injury reprograms muscle fibroadipogenic progenitors to form heterotopic bones within muscles](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:3b75d94)

2022

Journal Article

##### Therapeutic potential of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF1) in chronic liver disease

Keshvari, Sahar, Genz, Berit, Teakle, Ngari, Caruso, Melanie, Cestari, Michelle F., Patkar, Omkar L., Tse, Brian W. C., Sokolowski, Kamil A., Ebersbach, Hilmar, Jascur, Julia, MacDonald, Kelli P. A., Miller, Gregory, Ramm, Grant A., Pettit, Allison R., Clouston, Andrew D., Powell, Elizabeth E., Hume, David A. and Irvine, Katharine M. (2022). Therapeutic potential of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF1) in chronic liver disease. Disease Models and Mechanisms, 15 (4) dmm049387, 1-15. doi: 10.1242/dmm.049387

[Therapeutic potential of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF1) in chronic liver disease](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:a2742c4)

2022

Conference Publication

##### Appearances Can Be Deceiving: Macrophage Fragmentation Confounds Ex Vivo Haematopoietic Tissue Analysis

Pettit, Allison R., Batoon, Lena, Heng, Ostyn, Hume, David, Irvine, Kate, Kaur, Simranpreet, Levesque, Jean-Pierre, Magor, Graham, Millard, Susan, Noll, Jacqueline, Perkins, Andrew, Raggatt, Liza, Sandrock, Cheyenne, Sehgal, Anuj, Sester, David, Opperman, Khatora Shanae, Summers, Kim, Wu, Andy and Zannettino, Andrew (2022). Appearances Can Be Deceiving: Macrophage Fragmentation Confounds Ex Vivo Haematopoietic Tissue Analysis. 51st Annual Scientific Meeting of the ISEH - International Society for Experimental Hematology, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 1-4 September 2022. Philadelphia, PA United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.exphem.2022.07.018

[Appearances Can Be Deceiving: Macrophage Fragmentation Confounds Ex Vivo Haematopoietic Tissue Analysis](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:9526fca)

2021

Journal Article

##### Fragmentation of tissue-resident macrophages during isolation confounds analysis of single-cell preparations from mouse hematopoietic tissues

Millard, Susan M., Heng, Ostyn, Opperman, Khatora S., Sehgal, Anuj, Irvine, Katharine M., Kaur, Simranpreet, Sandrock, Cheyenne J., Wu, Andy C., Magor, Graham W., Batoon, Lena, Perkins, Andrew C., Noll, Jacqueline E., Zannettino, Andrew C.W., Sester, David P., Levesque, Jean-Pierre, Hume, David A., Raggatt, Liza J., Summers, Kim M. and Pettit, Allison R. (2021). Fragmentation of tissue-resident macrophages during isolation confounds analysis of single-cell preparations from mouse hematopoietic tissues. Cell Reports, 37 (8) 110058, 110058. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110058

[Fragmentation of tissue-resident macrophages during isolation confounds analysis of single-cell preparations from mouse hematopoietic tissues](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:00ad4d9)

## Funding

### Current funding

- 2024 - 2028

  Quantum triangulation for deep tissue imaging in NIR-II

  The University of Queensland in America, Inc

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/63789)
- 2022 - 2026

  Increasing hematopoietic stem cell niches post transplantation through enhancing bone marrow macrophage resilience and regeneration mechanisms

  NHMRC IDEAS Grants

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/51666)

### Past funding

- 2018 - 2020

  Colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor tyrosine kinase, a new target to treat acute myeloid leukemia

  Cancer Council Queensland

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/34056)
- 2018 - 2019

  Nuclear medicine suite for animals

  UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/34777)
- 2018 - 2020

  Osteal macrophages as therapeutic targets for fracture repair

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/33364)
- 2017 - 2020

  Characterisation of Bone and Bone Marrow Resident Tissue Macrophages

  ARC Future Fellowships

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/29789)
- 2016

  ANZBMS Gap Fellowship

  Australian & New Zealand Bone & Mineral Society

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/27684)
- 2016 - 2019

  Recipient bone marrow macrophages contribute to haematopoietic stem cell transplantation success

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/27225)
- 2016 - 2018

  Why macrophages promote heterotopic ossifications following spinal cord injuries

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/27251)
- 2015 - 2019

  Mechanisms and Treatments of Heterotopic Ossification following Spinal Cord Injuries

  United States Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs - Spinal Cord Injury Research Program

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/27080)
- 2015 - 2019

  IL-22 as a Suppressor of Pancreatic Beta-Cell Stress and a Treatment for Diabetes

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/23104)
- 2015 - 2016

  Macrophages facilitate prostate cancer bone metastasis.

  Cancer Council Queensland

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/23975)
- 2014

  Influence of macrophage activation phenotype on fracture repair

  Arthritis Foundation of Australia

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/21239)
- 2014 - 2015

  The role of macrophages in facilitating hematopoietic stem cell engraftment and reconstitution

  Cancer Council Queensland

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/21426)
- 2013 - 2016

  Role of bone marrow cells in leukemia progression and resistance to chemotherapy

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/21918)
- 2012

  Multi-user in vivo and ex vivo tissue-level mechanical testing instrument for bone and stem cell research

  NHMRC Equipment Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/14257)
- 2011 - 2014

  Novel treatment approaches to prevent joint fusion in ankylosing spondylitis

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/12843)
- 2010

  Multi-user small animal digital x-ray imaging machine for bone, cancer, inflammation and stem cell research

  UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/11972)
- 2010 - 2013

  Preclinical optimisation of intrauterine transplantation of fetal mesenchymal stem cells for osteogenesis imperfecta.

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/11789)
- 2010 - 2013

  Regulation of Bone Dynamics by Osteal Tissue Macrophages (Osteomacs)

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/11843)
- 2009 - 2011

  Towards selective targeting of HDACs for anti-inflammatory applications

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/10455)
- 2008 - 2012

  NHMRC Career Development Award (Biomedical - Level 1): Osteal macrophages: novel regulators of osteoblast function and the endosteal stem cell niche

  NHMRC Career Development Award

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/9531)
- 2007 - 2009

  Role of bone-associated macrophages in bone remodelling and bone disease

  NHMRC Project Grant

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/19661)
- 2006

  Characterization of the role of T cell subsets in pathologic bone destruction

  Ramaciotti Foundation

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/7794)
- 2006

  Role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in osteoclastogenesis and bone erosion in rheumatoid arthritis

  Arthritis Foundation of Australia

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/7764)
- 2005

  Role of Macrophages Residing on the Bone Surface in Bone Remodelling and Repair

  UQ Early Career Researcher

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/7205)
- 2001 - 2005

  NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship: The role of T cell expression of receptor-activator of NFkB ligand (RANKL) in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis bone erosion

  NHMRC Training (Postdoctoral) Fellowship

  [Open grant](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/project/18293)

View all 25 past funded projects
View less

## Supervision

### Availability

Professor Allison Pettit is:
:   Available for supervision

Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on [how to choose a supervisor](https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/how-to-choose-a-supervisor).

### Available projects

- #### Deconvoluting Tissue Resident Macrophage Biology

  **Project only open to Australian Domestic Applicants at this time with competitive stipend on offer.**

  Analysis of single cell preparations from tissues is a mainstay of biological discovery research. Particularly in the current era of costly investment in increasingly high dimensional analysis of single cell samples toward generation of publicly available data sets. The team exposed an unrecognised technical phenomenon that has high potential to substantively compromise single cell data accuracy across a broad range of research fields including immunology and haematology. Specifically, tissue resident macrophages are fragmented during haematopoietic single cell suspension preparation and leave behind encapsulated remnants containing membrane and cytoplasmic molecules attached to other cells they were interacting with in situ. This phenomenon profoundly compromises accurate analysis of the data generated. Using this unique perspective, the project aims to 1) expose how widespread this phenomenon is in a diverse range of tissues across age; 2) develop optimised approaches to eliminate macrophage fragmentation during haematopoietic tissue single cell preparation; and 3) take advantage of this technical phenomenon to achieve a substantive knowledge gain in understanding bone marrow macrophage specialisation.

  The outcome of this research is a broad spectrum increase in the fidelity of biology research that utilises this common approach. This will elevate translatability of research outcomes and ultimately public confidence in the Australian biology research sector. It will create opportunity to collaborate with industry toward improved development of relevant reagents and instrument technology and inform development of digital tools to deconvolute this phenomenon when analysing big data sets.

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### Supervision history

#### Current supervision

- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Deconvoluting Tissue Resident Macrophage Biology

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Katharine Irvine](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/894), [Dr Susan Millard](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2485)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Advanced optical imaging of bone marrow macrophages.

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Jennifer Stow](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/436)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Characterisation of sulfate deficiency on preterm neonatal bone growth and development.

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Yvonne Eiby](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1303), [Dr Susan Millard](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2485), [Hon Assoc Professor Paul Dawson](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/4965)

#### Completed supervision

- 2021

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Osteal macrophages as therapeutic targets for fracture repair](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:4f40a20)

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Liza Raggatt](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/8820), [Dr Susan Millard](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2485)
- 2018

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [The role of macrophages in facilitating haematopoietic stem cell engraftment and reconstitution](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:721242)

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Honorary Professor Jean-Pierre Levesque](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/8743), [Dr Liza Raggatt](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/8820)
- 2010

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Osteal macrophages (osteomacs) are pivotal for intramembranous bone formation in vivo: Osteomacs facilitate osteoblast maintenance in vivo and enhance osteoblast-mediated bone deposition in a murine model of bone healing](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:218713)

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor David Hume](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/5092), [Dr Liza Raggatt](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/8820)
- 2023

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Deciphering the Influence of Macrophages on Endothelial Progenitors](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:3483871)

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Simranpreet Kaur](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/24993), [Professor Antje Blumenthal](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2366), [Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2078)
- 2020

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Safer conditioning for antigen-encoding bone marrow transfer to induce immune tolerance](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:12efd39)

  Associate Advisor
- 2019

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Biomimetic Multilayered Nano-Fibrous Scaffolds for Guided Bone Regeneration](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:a76ef7e)

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Justin Cooper-White](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/507)
- 2016

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Determining the mechanisms underlying multicentric carpotarsal osteolysis and osteogenesis imperfecta type V](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:412952)

  Associate Advisor
- 2015

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Inflammation-driven bone formation in ankylosing spondylitis: Characterisation of the proteoglycan-induced spondylitis mouse model](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:368000)

  Associate Advisor
- 2009

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Role of macrophages, residing on the bone surface, in bone remodelling and repair](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:165763)

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor David Hume](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/5092), [Dr Liza Raggatt](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/8820)

View all 9 completed supervisions
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## Media

### Enquiries

Contact Professor Allison Pettit directly for media enquiries about:

- Bone Marrow Transplantation
- Osteoporosis Fragility Fracture
- Tissue regeneration

#### Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

[communications@uq.edu.au](mailto:communications@uq.edu.au)

## External profiles

- [ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4707-7892)
- [ResearcherID](https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/O-4462-2019)
- [Scopus](https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=8207627200)
- [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user= )

## Personal links

- [Personal profile](https://www.materresearch.org.au/About-Us/Our-Executives/ProfileExecutiveItems/Michael_McGuckin-Deputy_Director_Research.aspx?board=mre&member=A-Prof-Allison-Pettit-Director-of-Biomedical-Resea)
- [Translational Research Institute](https://www.tri.edu.au/staff/allison-pettit)

## Social media

- [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-pettit-22099036/)

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