Unfolding the mysteries of the brain

PhD researcher Ryan Hickmott is using ferret stem cells to grow organoids, which are like miniature brains, to help us better understand the human brain and how we could protect it from degenerative diseases.

At this year’s 3-Minute Thesis competition, Hickmott delivered a presentation about his thesis titled Build-A-Brain Workshop: Towards a Golden Era of Neuroscience that saw him win the competition’s headline award.

Hickmott found out he was the winner of this year’s contest in an unusual spot, on his way back down Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Borneo.

Ryan Hickmott (left) found out he was the RMIT 3-Minute Thesis winner while travelling through Borneo. Image credit: Ryan Hickmott.

“I saw the sunrise from the top of Mount Kinabalu and was coming back down as the results were coming in,” said Hickmott.

“There were so many good submissions this year and I'd seen all the different videos. It was a complete shock to win. It's also a great honour to have been chosen.”

This October, Hickmott will be a part of the national competition featuring the best presentations from Australia’s top universities.

Unlocking the future of neuroscience

Hickmott’s PhD is focused on better understanding the brain, particularly the folds of the brain and how they make us think better.

“Folds are essential for higher cognitive functions in mammals. Basically, more folds equals more smarts. This is largely because more neurons can fit into the same space while allowing them to form complex networks,” said Hickmott.

“We’re still figuring out how our cells really coordinate our brains growth. Much of what we do know comes from animal models. The complicated part is finding animal brains that aren’t ‘smooth’.”

Enter the ferret.

“They’re a small mammal, meaning they develop really quickly, but they're also born smooth brained and then begin folding shortly after birth,” said Hickmott.

This makes their brains ideal to study to help us understand human brains.

Growing ‘brains’ in the lab

Hickmott says he is using ferret stem cells to grow “mini brains” in a dish to understand how they develop.

“You start off with stem cells – these are unspecified cells and they can become anything. You then push them into becoming the type of cell that you want,” he said.

Usually, these organoids are made from human stem cells but in a world-first, Hickmott is creating them with ferret stem cells courtesy of Associate Professor Amy Ryan at the University of Iowa.

“Because ferrets develop so much faster than humans, they might mimic much more advanced structures, including brain folds,” said Ryan.

“I see organoids as a key technology that will help usher in a golden era of neuroscience, helping solve longstanding mysteries and greatly reducing the need for animal experimentation.

Making his way to RMIT

Hickmott completed his undergraduate studies in the UK where he then worked in a series of research and science roles. He came to Australia in 2018 on a working holiday visa, taking a break from scientific work. After working in a series of jobs, he decided it was time to get back into science.

He started looking for PhD opportunities around mid-2019 and was able to secure funding at RMIT in November that year and began his research.

“Then obviously the pandemic happens. So, it was a weird start, but in some ways, it was kind of nice. I got to start the PhD but have lots of time for writing… And because I'd spent so much time away from science, it gave me time to really think about what area I wanted to be in.

While working in the UK in the NHS, Hickmott came across many people in elderly care who suffered from things such as dementia. This inspired him to study the brain.

Hickmott was inspired by work already underway at RMIT and took the novel approach of growing ferret organoids. His supervisors are Associate Professor Mary Tolcos, Dr Anita Quigley, Dr Sebastian Quezada and Professor David Walker, founder of RMIT’s Neurodevelopment in Health and Disease program,

“I'm the only one that's doing the organoids at the moment. But we're hoping that as it becomes more established, we can build up a bigger team around that going forward,” he says.

PhD and Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates at RMIT can experience tailored experiences built on impact-led learning, co-curricular collaboration, and life-changing study that can open doors to diverse career opportunities,

Undergraduate students can find out more and explore opportunities for further study on the RMIT website.

Story: Nick Adams

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06 October 2022

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Unfolding the mysteries of the brain