Dr Juan Carlos Polanco leads a Research team on “Exosomes and tau pathology” based in the Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CJCADR) within the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at the University of Queensland (UQ). Dr Polanco was awarded an MSc in Biochemistry from the National University of Colombia, and a PhD in Molecular Bioscience from the UQ. His PhD work was supervised by now Emeritus Prof. Peter Koopman, a leading developmental biologist. He stayed in the Koopman lab until 2010, where he made major contributions to how SOX genes are implicated in the XX disorders of sex development. In 2010, he started a postdoctoral fellowship at CSIRO, working on elucidating the complex biology of reprogrammed human induced pluripotent stem cells. In 2013, he joined the laboratory of Prof. Jürgen Götz in CJCADR. Here, Dr Polanco started working on exosomes. In his ground-breaking and highly cited 2016 paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, he demonstrated for the first time that exosomes encapsulate tau seeds with the ability to induce tau aggregation in recipient cells. Furthermore, he also demonstrated that neurons could internalise proximal exosomal tau seeds and then re-release a fraction fused with endogenous secretory endosomes, re-released exosomes that were delivered to interconnected neurons, potentially achieving higher pathogenicity boosted by this trans-synaptic mode of transport (Acta Neuropathol Commun 2018). Since 2019, and supported by NHMRC grants, Dr Polanco has been mentored by Prof Götz to lead an independent research team hosted in his lab.
Journal Article: CRISPRi screening reveals regulators of tau pathology shared between exosomal and vesicle-free tau
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Akimov, Yevhen, Fernandes, Avinash, Briner, Adam, Hand, Gabriel Rhys, van Roijen, Marloes, Balistreri, Giuseppe and Götz, Jürgen (2022). CRISPRi screening reveals regulators of tau pathology shared between exosomal and vesicle-free tau. Life Science Alliance, 6 (1), e202201689. doi: 10.26508/lsa.202201689
Journal Article: Exosomal and vesicle-free tau seeds - propagation and convergence in endolysosomal permeabilization
Polanco, Juan Carlos and Götz, Jürgen (2021). Exosomal and vesicle-free tau seeds - propagation and convergence in endolysosomal permeabilization. The FEBS Journal, 289 (22) febs.16055, 6891-6907. doi: 10.1111/febs.16055
Journal Article: Exosomes induce endolysosomal permeabilization as a gateway by which exosomal tau seeds escape into the cytosol
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Hand, Gabriel Rhys, Briner, Adam, Li, Chuanzhou and Götz, Jürgen (2021). Exosomes induce endolysosomal permeabilization as a gateway by which exosomal tau seeds escape into the cytosol. Acta Neuropathologica, 141 (2), 235-256. doi: 10.1007/s00401-020-02254-3
Regulators of Tau Pathology Induced by Exosomal and Vesicle-free Tau Seeds
(2023–2026) NHMRC IDEAS Grants
Unravelling how exosomes induce and propagate tau pathology
(2019–2021) NHMRC Project Grant
Molecular and cellular studies of neurodegenerative disease and neuronal protein synthesis
Doctor Philosophy
RESEARCH TEAM: Exosomes and Tau Pathology
Dr Polanco’s team has available projects for students, aiming at answering questions such as:
RESEARCH APPROACH: To achieve our aims, we use skills in cell biology and cellular sensors, biochemistry, and protein engineering, high-resolution microscopy, genome-wide CRISPR screens, multi-approach bioinformatics analyses, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, the building of DNA constructs, gain-and loss-of-function assays, production of lentivirus and lentiviral work, mouse primary neuronal culture and functional assays with AD mouse models.
CRISPRi screening reveals regulators of tau pathology shared between exosomal and vesicle-free tau
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Akimov, Yevhen, Fernandes, Avinash, Briner, Adam, Hand, Gabriel Rhys, van Roijen, Marloes, Balistreri, Giuseppe and Götz, Jürgen (2022). CRISPRi screening reveals regulators of tau pathology shared between exosomal and vesicle-free tau. Life Science Alliance, 6 (1), e202201689. doi: 10.26508/lsa.202201689
Exosomal and vesicle-free tau seeds - propagation and convergence in endolysosomal permeabilization
Polanco, Juan Carlos and Götz, Jürgen (2021). Exosomal and vesicle-free tau seeds - propagation and convergence in endolysosomal permeabilization. The FEBS Journal, 289 (22) febs.16055, 6891-6907. doi: 10.1111/febs.16055
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Hand, Gabriel Rhys, Briner, Adam, Li, Chuanzhou and Götz, Jürgen (2021). Exosomes induce endolysosomal permeabilization as a gateway by which exosomal tau seeds escape into the cytosol. Acta Neuropathologica, 141 (2), 235-256. doi: 10.1007/s00401-020-02254-3
Fyn kinase controls tau aggregation in vivo
Briner, Adam, Götz, Jürgen and Polanco, Juan Carlos (2020). Fyn kinase controls tau aggregation in vivo. Cell Reports, 32 (7) 108045, 108045. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108045
Are you TORCing tau me? Amyloid‐β blocks the conversation between lysosomes and mitochondria
Polanco, Juan Carlos and Götz, Jürgen (2018). Are you TORCing tau me? Amyloid‐β blocks the conversation between lysosomes and mitochondria. The EMBO Journal, 37 (22) e100839, e100839. doi: 10.15252/embj.2018100839
Exosomes taken up by neurons hijack the endosomal pathway to spread to interconnected neurons
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Li, Chuanzhou, Durisic, Nela, Sullivan, Robert and Götz, Jürgen (2018). Exosomes taken up by neurons hijack the endosomal pathway to spread to interconnected neurons. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 6 (1) 10, 1-14. doi: 10.1186/s40478-018-0514-4
Amyloid-β and tau complexity - towards improved biomarkers and targeted therapies
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Li, Chuanzhou, Bodea, Liviu-Gabriel, Martinez-Marmol, Ramon, Meunier, Frederic A and Götz, Jürgen (2017). Amyloid-β and tau complexity - towards improved biomarkers and targeted therapies. Nature reviews. Neurology, 14 (1), 22-40. doi: 10.1038/nrneurol.2017.162
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Scicluna, Benjamin James, Hill, Andrew Francis and Gotz, Jurgen (2016). Extracellular vesicles isolated from the brains of rTg4510 mice seed tau protein aggregation in a threshold-dependent manner. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291 (24), 12445-12466. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M115.709485
Baker, Sian, Polanco, Juan Carlos and Gotz, Juergen (2016). Extracellular vesicles containing P301L mutant tau accelerate pathological tau phosphorylation and oligomer formation but do not seed mature neurofibrillary tangles in ALZ17 mice. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 54 (3), 1207-1217. doi: 10.3233/JAD-160371
No full admission for tau to the exclusive prion club yet
Polanco, Juan Carlos and Götz, Jürgen (2015). No full admission for tau to the exclusive prion club yet. EMBO Journal, 34 (24), 2990-2992. doi: 10.15252/embj.201593311
Tau aggregation and its interplay with amyloid-β
Nisbet, Rebecca M., Polanco, Juan-Carlos, Ittner, Lars M. and Gotz, Jurgen (2014). Tau aggregation and its interplay with amyloid-β. Acta Neuropathologica, 129 (2), 207-220. doi: 10.1007/s00401-014-1371-2
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Wang, Bei, Zhou, Qi, Chy, Hun, O'Brien, Carmel and Laslett, Andrew L. (2013). Enrichment and purging of human embryonic stem cells by detection of cell surface antigens using the monoclonal antibodies TG30 and GCTM-2. Journal of Visualized Experiments (82) e50856. doi: 10.3791/50856
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Ho, Mirabelle S. H., Wang, Bei, Zhou, Qi, Wolvetang, Ernst, Mason, Elizabeth, Wells, Christine A., Kolle, Gabriel, Grimmond, Sean M., Bertoncello, Ivan, O'Brien, Carmel and Laslett, Andrew L. (2013). Identification of Unsafe Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines Using a Robust Surrogate Assay for Pluripotency. Stem Cells, 31 (8), 1498-1510. doi: 10.1002/stem.1425
Polanco, J. C., Wilhelm, D, Davidson, T. L., Knight, D and Koopman, P (2010). Sox10 gain-of-function causes XX sex reversal in mice: implications for human 22q-linked disorders of sex development. Human Molecular Genetics, 19 (3) ddp520, 506-516. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddp520
Arenas, Nelson Enrique, Polanco, Juan Carlos, Coronado, Sandra Milena, Durango, Clara Juliana and Gomez, Arley (2009). Design of a molecular method for subspecies specific identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae by using the 16S ribosomal subunit gene. Colombia Medica, 40 (3), 307-315.
Arenas, Nelson Enrique, Polanco, Juan Carlos, Coronado, Sandra Milena, Durango, Clara Juliana and Gomez, Arley (2009). Design of a molecular method for subspecies specific identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae by using the 16S ribosomal subunit gene. Colombia Medica, 40 (2), 194-201.
Arenas, Nelson Enrique, Gutiérrez, Andrés Julián, Salazar, Luz Mary, Polanco, Juan Carlos and Gómez, Arley (2009). Construcción de una filogenia molecular para las especies de los géneros Klebsiella y Raoultella basada en los genes ARNr 16S y ARN polimerasa subunidad. Revista Ciencias de la Salud, 7 (2), 22-29.
Functional analysis of the SRY–KRAB interaction in mouse sex determination
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Wilhelm, Dagmar, Mizusaki, Hirofumi, Jackson, Andrew, Browne, Catherine, Davidson, Tara, Harley, Vincent, Sinclair, Andrew and Koopman, Peter (2009). Functional analysis of the SRY–KRAB interaction in mouse sex determination. Biology of The Cell, 101 (1), 55-67. doi: 10.1042/BC20080061
Sry and the hesitant beginnings of male development
Polanco, Juan Carlos and Koopman, Peter (2007). Sry and the hesitant beginnings of male development. Developmental Biology, 302 (1), 13-24. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2006.08.049
Plasmodium Vivax: Parasitemia Determination by Real-time Quantitative PCR in Aotus Monkeys
Polanco, Juan Carlos, Rodriguez, Josefa Antonia, Corredor, Vladimir and Patarroyo, Manuel Alfonso (2002). Plasmodium Vivax: Parasitemia Determination by Real-time Quantitative PCR in Aotus Monkeys. Experimental Parasitology, 100 (2), 131-134. doi: 10.1016/S0014-4894(02)00010-3
Plasmodium vivax: parasitemia determination by real-time quantitative PCR in Aotus monkeys
Polanco, JC, Rodriguez, JA, Corredor, V and Patarroyo, MA (2002). Plasmodium vivax: parasitemia determination by real-time quantitative PCR in Aotus monkeys. Experimental Parasitology, 100 (2), 131-134.
Possible role of KRAB-containing proteins in sex determination
Polanco, J. C., Jackson, A., Wilhelm, D. and Koopman, P. (2005). Possible role of KRAB-containing proteins in sex determination. AMSTERDAM: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV.
Regulators of Tau Pathology Induced by Exosomal and Vesicle-free Tau Seeds
(2023–2026) NHMRC IDEAS Grants
Unravelling how exosomes induce and propagate tau pathology
(2019–2021) NHMRC Project Grant
Molecular and cellular studies of neurodegenerative disease and neuronal protein synthesis
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
RESEARCH TEAM: Exosomes and Tau Pathology
Dr Polanco’s team has available projects for students, aiming at answering questions such as:
RESEARCH APPROACH: To achieve our aims, we use skills in cell biology and cellular sensors, biochemistry, and protein engineering, high-resolution microscopy, genome-wide CRISPR screens, multi-approach bioinformatics analyses, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, the building of DNA constructs, gain-and loss-of-function assays, production of lentivirus and lentiviral work, mouse primary neuronal culture and functional assays with AD mouse models.