Julie Campbell (vascular biologist)

Julie Hazel Campbell (born 2 November 1946) is an Australian vascular biologist; and she was born in Sydney, Australia. Campbell, cell biologist and professorial fellow at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, is recognized as a world leader in the field of smooth muscle biology.^[1][2] In the early 1970s, she was the first to discover that smooth muscle cells can exist in a spectrum of phenotypes that control the cell’s biology and response to disease stimuli (e.g. in heart diseases).^[2][3] She further determined how these cells could be maintained in the ‘non-disease’ phenotype. This knowledge helped modern scientist’s understanding of how atherosclerotic plaques form and provided information on potential strategies for prevention.^[4]

Campbell was the first to discover that cells of bone marrow origin contribute to intimal (the innermost coat of blood vessels) thickening in arteries subjected to injury, rather than solely from cells of the artery wall. This showed that current strategies to prevent restenosis after angioplasty of blocked arteries may have been targeting the incorrect cell type.^[3][5]

Her most recent work involves the development of autologous vascular grafts from cells of bone marrow, known as the myeloid, origin using the abdominal cavity as a bioreactor. These tissue-engineered ‘artificial arteries’ have potential use as access fistulae for haemodialysis patients and as coronary artery bypass grafts. She has used the same technology to grow bladder and uterine graft with long-term viability. These discoveries have been protected by international patents.^[3][5]

She has other research that involves basic cellular interactions in the artery wall, and the definition of single transduction pathways through which factors act to enhance vascular disease regression and prevent disease development/progression.^[3]

Early history

Campbell was born on 2 November 1946, in Sydney, Australia. Campbell’s mother was one of nine children, and worked as a physical education teacher. At the age of twelve, Campbell’s father began to work to support his mother and his siblings after the passing of his father. During Campbell’s adolescent ages, she was fiercely competitive. In the fourth grade, she was selected to attend an advanced class that was specifically reserved for high achievers. It was no surprise that she also attended a competitive high school,^[3] known as the St. George Girls High School. After high school, Campbell felt burnt out and decided to work at the Atomic Energy Commissions during the day, and studied chemistry part-time at the University of New South Wales in the evenings. She had always intended to pursue a career in chemistry, and did not take any biology classes until college. After taking her first biology course, Campbell became fascinated with the structure and activities of living cells, and went to study physiology instead of chemistry. She was the first physiology honors student at her university.^[5]

Family history

Campbell married her husband when she was at the age of 22. In 1975, both Campbell and her husband had the career position of postdoctoral research in the Department of Zoology at the University of Melbourne. In 1976, both Campbell and her husband followed their first Ph.D. supervisor, Burnstock, to the University College of London for a year to continue their postdoctoral research in the Department of Anatomy and Embryology.^[2] Then, in 1978, the couple went to the University of Iowa for nine months, before going to the University of Washington in Seattle to finish their postdoctoral research.^[2] During this period of time, Campbell had three children, but continued to dedicate much of her time to her research and work. She had worked at the Baker Medical Research Institution for 13 years. Her husband had also worked at the Baker Medical Research Institution for 2 years, after being offered a senior position at the University of Melbourne. In 1991, Campbell’s husband was offered the chair of anatomy at the University of Queensland, so the couple had moved once more. Today, all three of her children are currently university students, and together with her husband, they own two cattle properties.^[5]

Career

In 1968, Campbell attended the University of New South Wales, where she graduated as an honor student with a bachelor's degree in science in physiology.^[6][1] In 1973, she received her doctorate degree in neurology from the University of Melbourne.^[6] Campbell is a cell biologist specializing in vascular smooth muscle.^[5]

Campbell’s postdoctoral experiences extends from working at the University of Melbourne (1973–75), University of College London (1976), the University of Iowa (1977) and the University of Washington (1977–78). During this period, she researched the biology of smooth muscle cells in normal artery walls of the human body. She recognized the importance of her findings for treating arteries affected by atherosclerosis.^[3][5]

In 1978, when Campbell returned to Australia, she was employed by the Baker Medical Research Institute in Melbourne. From this period, she obtained the career position as an senior research officer at the institution (1978–80). Her studies consolidated her early findings on vascular smooth muscle biology.^[5]

In 1991, she left her position as the principal research fellow (1987–91) at the Baker Medical Research Institute. Campbell moved to Brisbane and became the founding director of the Centre for research in Vascular Biology at the University of Queensland. With her experience, she obtained the career position as the principal research fellow in the Department of Anatomical Sciences (1991–94). She became the inaugural president of the Australian Vascular Biology Society in Institute at the Wesley Hospital in 1996.^[3][5]

Recognition for achievements

Campbell has won worldwide acclaim for her ground-breaking research into the development of blood vessels naturally within a patient.^[6] This process is undergoing pre-clinical trials in humans and may be used to treat patients suffering coronary heart disease, renal failure and other life-threatening conditions. This ‘Grow Your Own Arteries’ technique is helping patients survive coronary heart disease, renal failure and other life-threatening conditions.^[6][5]

Campbell was awarded the Wellcome Australia Medal for Medical and Scientific Research. During this year, she has obtained the position as Senior Principal Research Fellow at the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and she was also a research professor at the University of Queensland.^[3]

Present positions

Campbell is currently:^[6][2][3]

• Senior principal research fellow, NHMRC
• Research professor, University of Queensland
• Director, Centre for research in Vascular Biology at the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland ^[8]
• Director, Wesley Research Institute, Wesley Hospital.
• Director, VasCam Pty Ltd.
• Member of executive committee (EXCOM) and council, Australian Academy of Science.
• Secretary of education and public awareness, Australian Academy of Science.

Her main career is the director of the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) for the University of Queensland.

Awards

Campbell has been awarded:^[2][5][6][9]

• The Wellcome Australia Medal and Award for 1995
• Fellow of Australia Academy of Sciences 2000
• Centenary Medal 2003
• Queensland Greats Award 2004
• Order of Australia, Officer (AO) in the General Division 2006
• Queensland Businesswoman of the Year 2007 — Public & Not for Profit Section

Publications

• 228 international scientific journals ^[5][1][3]
• 2 international patents ^[3][5]
• 65 lectures at the international conferences ^[1]
• 4 books on cardiac muscle, vascular smooth muscle and tissue engineering of the arteries^[1]
• "Therapeutic Uses of Beta-casein a2 and dietary supplement containing beta-casein a2"
• Grow Your Own Arteries

References