Dr Chris Turner

Adjunct Research Fellow Future Industries Institute

Mawson Lakes Campus (V1-19)
tel +61 8 830 20131

email Chris.Turner@unisa.edu.au

Research Degree Supervisor

About me

Tissue Inflammation and Repair Mechanisms
Immune-Secreted Proteases
Extrinsic & Intrinsic Aging
Itch, Vascular Dysfunction and Fibrosis
Drug Development and Novel Delivery Strategies

Christopher Turner B. Tech (Hons.) Ph. D is an academic researcher investigating skin inflammation, chronic disease, wound healing, drug development and drug delivery at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Concurrently, he holds an adjunct position at the Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia. Chris returned to Australia in 2021 after 5 years at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada, after completing a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship. He received his Ph.D in Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide.

Dr. Turner's research interests encompass inflammation, aging and chronic disease, with an emphasis on... Read more

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About me

Dr. Turner's research interests encompass inflammation, aging and chronic disease, with an emphasis on skin. There is a focus on investigating mechanisms of inflammaging (progressive increase in generalized inflammation as we age), tissue repair, fibrosis, itch, angiogenesis and the role of proteases in chronic inflammatory disease. Chris has a track record in the development and pre-clinical testing of novel therapeutic agents. Diseases of research interest include pressure ulcers, diabetes, aging, dermatitis, skin blisters, ischemia-reperfusion injury and burns. Current projects are investigating granzymes, a family of serine proteases involved in inflammatory responses, angiogenesis, fibrosis and tissue organization. Also investigating Flightless I, a cytoskeletal actin-remodeling protein and negative regulator of wound repair.

Chris has received a number of awards and recognitions for his contributions to the research field; including Australasian Wound & Tissue Repair Society Young Investigator of the Year, twice awarded USA Wound Healing Society Young Investigator, Calgary Firefighters Award from the Skin Research Group of Canada, Dr. Robert Cowan Award from the University of British Columbia Plastics, Department of Surgery, and Bob Fraser New Investigator Award from The Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand. He was a finalist in the health category of The Australian Innovation Challenge. Training awards include a NHMRC Dora Lush Ph.D Scholarship, CIHR Research Fellowship, CIHR Institute of Aging Award, and CIHR IMPACT Strategic Training Program Award.

Awards

Skin Research Group of Canada, Annual Conference, Best Oral Presentation, Canada
Australasian Wound & Tissue Repair Society (AWTRS) Travel Award, Australia
BCRegMed Trainee Travel Award, Canada
Wound Healing Society (WHS) Young Investigator, USA: Identified as a top young investigator in the wound healing field
WHS Travel Award, USA
Skin Research Group of Canada Travel Award, Canada
WHS Travel Award, USA
WHS Young Investigator, USA: Identified as a top young investigator in the wound healing field
ICORD Trainee Travel Award, Canada
AWTRS Travel Award, Australia
AWTRS Young Investigator of the Year, Australia: In recognition of outstanding achievement by an early career researcher
Winner, ICORD Trainee Symposium, Best Senior Trainee Overall Presentation, UBC, Canada
AWTRS Travel Award, Australia
BCRegMed Trainee Travel Award, Canada
Dr. Robert Cowan Award for Best Scientific Paper, UBC Plastics Research Day, Vancouver, Canada
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) - Institute of Aging Travel Award, UBC, Canada: CIHR equivalent to the NH&MRC and success rate < 7% across Canada. Funded research performed on granzymes role in pressure injury
WHS Travel Award, USA
American Society of Matrix Biology (ASMB) Travel Award, USA
ICORD Trainee Travel Award, UBC, Canada
Bob Fraser New Investigator Award, Australia: The Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand (MBSANZ) established this award to recognize and support early career development in the field of matrix biology
The Australian Innovation Challenge, Finalist, Health Category, Australia: The challenge highlights innovation and helps to create an opportunity to make a difference… shine a spotlight on the incredible ideas and creativity which drive this country and encourage collaboration between industry, government and community
AWTRS Travel Award, Australia

Research Grants

2021, STEM Equipment Grant, University of South Australia ($13,500)
2021, Granville and Turner, Mitacs Accelerate, UBC, Canada ($95,894): Funded to investigate the role of granzymes in radiation dermatitis
2021, Voelcker, Cowin, Turner and Fitridge, US Department of Defense (DoD) CDMRP, Monash and UniSA, Australia ($2,246,277): Therapeutic antibody delivery to chronic wounds with nanoparticles
2021, Granville and Turner, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) Seed Grant, UBC, Canada ($16,346): Formulating novel antibiotic into a novel therapy for pressure injuries
2020, Granville and Turner, Eczema Society of Canada Research Grant Program, UBC, Canada ($27,243): A Novel Therapeutic Approach for Atopic Dermatitis
2020, Granville and Turner, ICORD Seed Grant, UBC, Canada ($21,794): Repurposing an antibiotic into a novel therapy for pressure injuries
2018, Granville and Turner, ICORD Seed Grant, Co-investigator, UBC, Canada ($21,794): Pressure injuries in SCI patients: a new therapy from an old drug
2018, Granville, Hiroyasu and Turner, In Vivo Preclinical Transgenic Model Development Pilot Program competition, UBC, Canada ($2,724)

Research

Research focus

Biomedical Engineering
Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Clinical Sciences
Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry
Medical Biotechnology

Research

Outputs

Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus

Open access indicates that an output is open access.

Highlights

Year	Output
2022	Richardon, KC, Jung, K, Pardo, J, Turner, CT & Granville, DJ 2022, 'Noncytotoxic roles of granzymes in health and disease', Physiology, vol. 37, no. 6, pp. 323-348. 1 3
2022	Turner, CT, Pawluk, M, Bolsoni, J, Zeglinski, MR, Shen, Y, Zhao, H, Ponomarev, T, Richardson, KC, West, CR, Papp, A & Granville, D 2022, 'Sulfaphenazole reduces thermal and pressure injury severity through rapid restoration of tissue perfusion', Scientific Reports, vol. 12, article no. 12622, pp. 1-13. Open access 2
2021	Turner, CT, Zeglinski, MR, Richardson, KC, Santacruz, S, Hiroyasu, S, Wang, C, Zhao, H, Shen, Y, Sehmi, R, Lima, H, Gauvreau, GM & Granville, DJ 2021, 'Granzyme B contributes to barrier dysfunction in oxazolone-induced skin inflammation through E-Cadherin and FLG Cleavage', Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol. 141, no. 1, pp. 36-47. Open access 19 18 50
2019	Turner, CT, Zeglinski, MR, Richardson, KC, Zhao, H, Shen, Y, Papp, A, Bird, P I & Granville, DJ 2019, 'Granzyme K expressed by classically activated macrophages contributes to inflammation and impaired remodeling', Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol.139, no. 4, pp. 930-939. Open access 22 21
2017	Turner, CT, Mcinnes, SJ, Melville, E, Cowin, A & Voelcker, NH 2017, 'Delivery of flightless I neutralizing antibody from porous silicon nanoparticles improves wound healing in diabetic mice', Advanced Healthcare Materials, vol. 6, no. 2, article no. 1600707, pp. 1-13. Open access 32 31 13

Chapters

Year	Output
2018	McInnes, SJ, Turner, CT, Cowin, AJ & Voelcker, NH 2018, 'Wound management using porous silicon', in Leigh Canham (ed.), Handbook of Porous Silicon: Second Edition, 2, Springer, Switzerland, ch. 131, pp. 1433-1452.

Journal Articles

Year	Output
2023	Obasanmi, G, Zeglinski, MR, Hardie, E, Wilhem, AC, Turner, CT, Hiroyasu, S, Boivin, WA, Tian, Y, Zhao, H, To, E, Cui, JZ, Xi, J, Yoo, HS, Uppal, M, Granville, DJ & Matsubara, JA 2023, 'Granzyme B contributes to choroidal neovascularization and age-related macular degeneration through proteolysis of thrombospondin-1', Laboratory Investigation, vol. 103, no. 6, article no. 100123, pp. 1-11. Open access 1
2023	Turner, C, Zeglinski, M, Boivin, W, Zhao, H, Pawluk, MA, Richardson, K V, Chandrabalan, A, Bird, P, Ramachandran, R, Sehmi, R, Lima, H, Gauvreau, G & Granville, DJ 2023, 'Granzyme K contributes to endothelial microvascular damage and leakage during skin inflammation', British Journal of Dermatology, online, pp. 1-13. 1
2022	Richardon, KC, Jung, K, Pardo, J, Turner, CT & Granville, DJ 2022, 'Noncytotoxic roles of granzymes in health and disease', Physiology, vol. 37, no. 6, pp. 323-348. 1 3
2022	Turner, CT, Pawluk, M, Bolsoni, J, Zeglinski, MR, Shen, Y, Zhao, H, Ponomarev, T, Richardson, KC, West, CR, Papp, A & Granville, D 2022, 'Sulfaphenazole reduces thermal and pressure injury severity through rapid restoration of tissue perfusion', Scientific Reports, vol. 12, article no. 12622, pp. 1-13. Open access 2
2021	Hiroyasu, S, Zeglinski, MR, Zhao, H, Pawluk, MA, Turner, CT, Anika, K, Tateishi, C, Nishie, W, Burleigh, A, Lennox, PA, Van Laeken, N, Carr, NJ, Petersen, F, Crawford, R I, Shimizu, H, Tsuruta, D, Ludwig, RJ & Granville, DJ 2021, 'Granzyme B inhibition reduces disease severity in autoimmune blistering diseases', Nature Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, article no. 302, pp. 1-14. Open access 40 36 25
2021	Turner, CT, Bolsoni, J, Zeglinski, MR, Zhao, H, Ponomarev, T, Richardson, K, Hiroyasu, S, Schmid, E, Papp, A & Granville, DJ 2021, 'Granzyme B mediates impaired healing of pressure injuries in aged skin', npj Aging and Mechanisms of Disease, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 1-13. Open access 10 8 1
2021	Turner, CT, Zeglinski, MR, Richardson, KC, Santacruz, S, Hiroyasu, S, Wang, C, Zhao, H, Shen, Y, Sehmi, R, Lima, H, Gauvreau, GM & Granville, DJ 2021, 'Granzyme B contributes to barrier dysfunction in oxazolone-induced skin inflammation through E-Cadherin and FLG Cleavage', Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol. 141, no. 1, pp. 36-47. Open access 19 18 50
2020	Matsubara, JA, Tian, Y, Cui, JZ, Zeglinski, MR, Hiroyasu, S, Turner, CT & Granville, DJ 2020, 'Retinal distribution and extracellular activity of Granzyme B: a serine protease that degrades retinal pigment epithelial tight junctions and extracellular matrix proteins', Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 11, article no. 574. Open access 21 17 1
2019	Hiroyasu, S, Turner, CT, Richardson, KC & Granville, DJ 2019, 'Proteases in pemphigoid diseases', Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 10, article no. 1454, pp. 1-19. Open access 16 14
2019	Sellers, SL, Turner, CT, Sathananthan, J, Cartlidge, TR, Sin, F, Bouchareb, R, Mooney, J, Nørgaard, BL, Bax, JJ, Bernatchez, PN, Dweck, MR, Granville, DJ, Newby, DE, Lauck, S, Webb, JG, Payne, GW, Pibarot, P, Blanke, P, Seidman, MA & Leipsic, JA 2019, 'Transcatheter aortic heart valves: histological analysis providing insight to leaflet thickening and structural valve degeneration', JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 135-145. Open access 78 70 13
2019	Turner, CT, Hiroyasu, S & Granville, DJ 2019, 'Granzyme B as a therapeutic target for wound healing', Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets, vol. 23, no. 9, pp. 745-754. 19 19
2019	Turner, CT, Lim, D & Granville, DJ 2019, 'Granzyme B in skin inflammation and disease', Matrix Biology, vol. 75-76, pp. 126-140. 69 60
2019	Turner, CT, Zeglinski, MR, Richardson, KC, Zhao, H, Shen, Y, Papp, A, Bird, P I & Granville, DJ 2019, 'Granzyme K expressed by classically activated macrophages contributes to inflammation and impaired remodeling', Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol.139, no. 4, pp. 930-939. Open access 22 21
2019	Zeglinski, MR, Turner, CT, Zeng, R, Schwartz, C, Santacruz, S, Pawluk, MA, Zhao, H, Chan, AW, Carlsten, C & Granville, DJ 2019, 'Soluble wood smoke extract promotes barrier dysfunction in alveolar epithelial cells through a MAPK signaling pathway', Scientific Reports, vol. 9, article no. 10027. Open access 20 21 11
2018	Haage, A, Goodwin, K, Whitewood, A, Camp, D, Bogutz, A, Turner, CT, Granville, DJ, Lefebvre, L, Plotnikov, S, Goult, BT & Tanentzapf, G 2018, 'Talin autoinhibition regulates cell-ECM adhesion dynamics and wound healing in vivo', Cell Reports, vol. 25, no. 9, pp. 2401-2416. Open access 27 23 12
2018	Shen, Y, Zeglinski, M, Turner, CT, Raithatha, SA & Granville, DJ 2018, 'Topical small molecule granzyme B inhibitor improves remodeling in a murine model of impaired burn wound healing', Experimental and Molecular Medicine, vol. 50, no. 5, pp. 1-11. Open access 32 32 2
2017	Shen, Y, Russo, V, Zeglinski, MR, Sellers, SL, Wu, Z, Oram, C, Santacruz, S, Merkulova, Y, Turner, C, Tauh, K, Zhao, H, Bozin, T, Bohunek, L, Zeng, H, Seidman, MA, Bleackley, RC, McManus, BM, Ruoslahti, E, Jarvinen, TA & Granville, DJ 2017, 'Recombinant decorin fusion protein attenuates murine abdominal aortic aneurysm formation and rupture', Scientific Reports, vol. 7, no. 15857, pp. 1-9. Open access 16 16 1
2017	Turner, CT, Mcinnes, SJ, Melville, E, Cowin, A & Voelcker, NH 2017, 'Delivery of flightless I neutralizing antibody from porous silicon nanoparticles improves wound healing in diabetic mice', Advanced Healthcare Materials, vol. 6, no. 2, article no. 1600707, pp. 1-13. Open access 32 31 13
2016	Cameron, AM, Turner, CT, Adams, DH, Jackson, J, Melville, EL, Arkell, RM, Anderson, PJ & Cowin, AJ 2016, 'Flightless I is a key regulator of the fibroproliferative process in hypertrophic scarring and a target for a novel antiscarring therapy', British Journal of Dermatology, vol. 174, no. 4, pp. 786-794. Open access 12 13
2016	Turner, CT, Fuller, M, Hopwood, JJ, Meikle, PJ & Brooks, DA 2016, 'Drug induced exocytosis of glycogen in Pompe disease', Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol. 479, pp. 721-727. 5 6
2016	Turner, CT, Hasanzadeh, KM, Melville, E, Delalat, B, Harding, F, Makila, E, Salonen, JJ, Cowin, AJ & Voelcker, NH 2016, 'Delivery of flightless I siRNA from porous silicon nanoparticles improves wound healing in mice', ACS Biomaterial Science and Engineering, vol. 2, no. 12, pp. 2339-2346. 29 27
2015	McInnes, SJP, Turner, CT, Al-Bataineh, SA, Airaghi Leccardi, MJ, Irani, Y, Williams, KA, Cowin, AJ & Voelcker, N 2015, 'Surface engineering of porous silicon to optimise therapeutic antibody loading and release', Journal of Materials Chemistry B, vol. 3, no. 20, pp. 4123-4133. Open access 27 23 6
2015	Turner, C, McInnes, S & Cowin, A 2015, 'Therapeutic antibodies for improved wound healing', Wound Practice and Research, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 16-24. 2
2015	Turner, CT, McInnes, SJ, Voelcker, NH & Cowin, AJ 2015, 'Therapeutic potential of inorganic nanoparticles for the delivery of monoclonal antibodies', Journal of Nanomaterials, vol. 2015, article no. 309602, pp. 1-12. Open access 18 14
2015	Turner, CT, Waters, JM, Jackson, JE, Arkell, RM & Cowin, AJ 2015, 'Fibroblast-specific upregulation of Flightless I impairs wound healing', Experimental Dermatology, vol. 24, no. 9, pp. 692-697. 10 10

External engagement & recognition

Collaborations

Highlights

Recently published article on bedsores and aging (npg Aging and Mechanisms of Disease) reviewed in the Lancet: “Granzyme B mediates impaired healing of pressure injuries in aged mice”. Lancet, News in Brief. The Lancet Healthy Longevity. Volume 2, Issue 4, April 2021, Page e193. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2666-7568(21)00063-5

Pressure ulcer in aging paper also reviewed in Science in the City: “Publications of the Week: Granzyme B Mediates Impaired Healing of Pressure Injuries in Aged Skin”. Science in the City. March 2021. http://app.e.stemcell.com/e/es.aspx?s=1832&e=382737&elqTrackId=ad3c6ca8079d45afaa19fa353d0bcc41&elq=a1434f7e731f4dd29704f50bb982fc47&elqaid=30856&elqat=1

Published manuscript describing the role of granzyme B in atopic dermatitis reviewed in VCHRI Insider: "“Getting Rid of the Itch”. In VCHRI Research Insider, 2020. https://www.vchri.ca/stories/articles/2020/06/08/getting-rid-itch

Dermatitis paper also reviewed in UBC Faculty of Medicine Newslwetter: “Researchers Uncover Novel Approach for Treating Eczema”. In UBC Faculty of Medicine newsletter, 2020. https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/researchers-uncover-novel-approach-for-treating-eczema/

Awards

Best Oral Presentation, Skin Research Group of Canada Annual Conference, 2020 (virtual)

Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Canada Institutes of Health Research, 2017-2020

Young Investigator Award, Wound Healing Society, USA, 2020
Young Investigator Award, Wound Healing Society, USA, 2019
Young Investigator of the Year Award, Australasian Wound & Tissue Repair Society, Australia, 2018
Bob Fraser New Investigator Award, The Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand (MBSANZ), Australia, 2015
The Australian Innovation Challenge, Finalist, Health Category: “The challenge highlights innovation and helps to create an opportunity to make a difference… shine a spotlight on the incredible ideas and creativity which drive this country and encourage collaboration between industry, government and community”. The Australian, 2015
Australasian Wound & Tissue Repair Society Travel Award, Australia, 2020
BC RegMed Trainee Travel Award, Canada, 2020
Wound Healing Society Travel Award, USA, 2020
Skin Research Group of Canada Travel Award, Canada, 2019
Wound Healing Society Travel Award, USA, 2019
ICORD Trainee Travel Award, Canada, 2019
Australasian Wound & Tissue Repair Society Travel Award, Australia, 2019
Dr. Robert Cowan Award for Best Scientific Paper, UBC Plastics Research Day, Vancouver, Canada, 2018
Australasian Wound & Tissue Repair Society Travel Award, Australia, 2018
BC RegMed Trainee Travel Award, Canada, 2018
Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Aging Travel Award: Funded research performed on the role of immune-mediated proteases in pressure injury, 2018
Wound Healing Society Travel Award, USA, 2018
American Society of Matrix Biology Travel Award, USA, 2017
ICORD Trainee Travel Award, Canada, 2017
Australasian Wound & Tissue Repair Society Travel Award, Australia, 2015

External engagement & recognition

Collaborations

Organisation	Country
Aarhus University Hospital	DENMARK
Australian National University	AUSTRALIA
Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute	AUSTRALIA
British Columbia Professional Firefighters’ Burn and Wound Healing Group	CANADA
Flinders University	AUSTRALIA
Hokkaido University	JAPAN
Laval University	CANADA
Leiden University Medical Centre	NETHERLANDS
McMaster University	CANADA
Monash University	AUSTRALIA
Osaka City University	JAPAN
Research Center Borstel	GERMANY
SA Pathology	AUSTRALIA
South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)	AUSTRALIA
Tampere University Hospital	FINLAND
University of Adelaide	AUSTRALIA
University of Alberta	CANADA
University of British Columbia	CANADA
University of California	UNITED STATES
University of Edinburgh	UNITED KINGDOM
University of Kent	UNITED KINGDOM
University of Lubeck	GERMANY
University of Northern British Columbia	CANADA
University of South Australia	AUSTRALIA
University of Toronto	CANADA
University of Turku	FINLAND
University of Western Ontario	CANADA
University of Zaragoza	SPAIN
Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute	CANADA
viDA Therapeutics	CANADA

External engagement & recognition

Other

“Publications of the Week: Granzyme K Expressed by Classically Activated Macrophages Contributes to Inflammation and Impaired Remodeling”. Science in the City. November 2018. https://scienceinthecity.com/2018/11/19/granzyme-k-expressed-classically-activated-macrophages-contributes-inflammation-impaired-remodeling/

“Featuring Photoacoustic Imaging, Nanosafety and More”. Feature in Advanced Science News, 31st Jan 2017. http://www.advancedsciencenews.com/featuring-photoacoustic-imaging-nanosafety-januarys-advanced-healthcare-materials-covers/

“Online medical workers change the way we see, hear and feel”. Feature in The Australian newspaper by Cheryl Jones, 2015. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/innovationchallenge/online-medical-workers-change-the-way-we-see-hear-and-feel/story-fnj8drfn-1227580153653

“Healing wounds team is Innovation Challenge finalist”. UniSA News November 2015. Publicizes the wound healing team from Future Industries Institute as a finalist in ‘The Australian’ Innovation Challenge 2015. http://w3.unisa.edu.au/unisanews/2015/November/story6.asp#Healing_wounds

Wound Management Innovation CRC newsletter, Edition 29, December 2015. Publicizes the wound healing team from Future Industries Institute as a finalist in ‘The Australian’ Innovation Challenge 2015. http://www.woundcrc.com/communications.html#publications

Australasian Wound & Tissue Repair Society newsletter, Volume 9, Issue 2, December 2015. Publicizes the wound healing team from Future Industries Institute as a finalist in ‘The Australian’ Innovation Challenge 2015. http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=df1f839e984247e066d6635b3&id=5d2aef8f71&e=35e9f82614

“Protecting protein drugs”. Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility, Profile 2015. Article discussing the use of microparticles to deliver the therapeutic antibody Infliximab to chronic wounds. Describes the published work of McInnes et al., J. Mater. Chem. B, 3, 4123, 2015

“CRC Researchers at the Australian Innovation Challenge 2015: Review. Wound Management Innovation CRC Newsletter, 2015

“Australian Innovation Challenge 2015: Review”. Australasian Wound & Tissue Repair Society Newsletter, 2015

Teaching & student supervision

Research degree supervision

Supervisions from 2010 shown

Thesis title	Student status
Defining the role of Granzyme K in skin inflammation and chronic itch	Current
Development of new approaches for the treatment of infected wounds	Current

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Dr Chris Turner

About me

About me

Future Industries Institute

About me

Professional Associations

Experience

Qualifications

Work history

Research

Research focus

Projects

Outputs

Highlights

Chapters

Journal Articles

External engagement & recognition

Collaborations

Highlights

Collaborations

External engagement & recognition

Other

Teaching & student supervision

Courses and programs

Research degree supervision

Gallery