Gerard Kaiko

Associate Professor Gerard Kaiko is an academic at the University of Newcastle's School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, serving as Theme Leader for Stem Cells and Organoids in Mucosal Diseases at HMRI. His research focuses on mucosal organoids, stem cells, and microbiome-driven therapies for diseases like cystic fibrosis, asthma, and inflammatory bowel disease. He holds an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship and has contributed to high-impact journals like Cell, Science, and Science Translational Medicine.

• Education: PhD in Immunology & Microbiology, University of Newcastle
• Roles: Associate Professor, Theme Leader, and Principal Investigator in multiple grants
• Labs/Teams: Leads the Stem Cells and Organoids group at HMRI

Research Interests: Mucosal organoids for drug discovery, stem cell biology in tissue repair, microbiome mining for therapies, and precision medicine using patient-derived organoids. His work bridges basic science and clinical translation, including a national clinical trial for cystic fibrosis precision medicine.

Articles Trends: Recent work explores ACE2 expression in asthma, maternal microbiome impacts on immunity, and organoid-based platforms for cystic fibrosis therapies. His lab's innovations include 3D organoid culture systems and exosome-based drug delivery.

• Scientific Awards: NHMRC CJ Martin (Overseas) Fellowship, NHMRC Career Development Fellowship
• Grants: Over AUD$10 million in funding from NHMRC, industry, and philanthropy