Rate My Professor Aaron Schindeler

Associate Professor Aaron Schindeler holds faculty positions in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sydney, specifically within the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and serves as Head of the Bioengineering and Molecular Medicine Laboratory at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and the Westmead Institute for Medical Research. He earned a BSc (Hons) in biochemistry from the University of Queensland in 1997 and a PhD in biotechnology and biomolecular sciences from the University of New South Wales in 2004. Since 2004, Schindeler has focused on Neurofibromatosis (NF) research, making fundamental discoveries regarding the mechanisms and treatments for musculoskeletal complications in NF1, which have contributed to improvements in clinical practice. His laboratory, a multidisciplinary team with two decades of expertise, develops therapeutics for pediatric musculoskeletal disorders, including brittle bone disease, neurofibromatosis, and other genetic conditions, emphasizing clinical translation through preclinical models for orthopaedic injury and gene disorders. Current efforts include gene therapy programs using CRISPR gene editing and adeno-associated viral vectors to develop a vaccine preventing NF1 and NF2-related tumor formation, alongside research in musculoskeletal diseases, genetic disorders, drug design for bone-targeted therapies and senolytics, and orthopaedic research.

Schindeler’s research outputs include highly influential publications such as 'Bone remodeling during fracture repair: The cellular picture' (2008), cited over 1300 times, 'Cell-scaffold interactions in the bone tissue engineering triad' (2013), and 'Skeletal abnormalities in neurofibromatosis type 1: approaches to therapeutic options' (2009). More recent works encompass 'Curative Cell and Gene Therapy for Osteogenesis Imperfecta' (2022) and clinical trial reports like 'L-carnitine supplementation for muscle weakness and fatigue in children with neurofibromatosis type 1' (2024). His contributions have garnered over 6200 citations. Schindeler has secured major funding, including as CIA on an NHMRC Ideas Grant (2024-2027) for gene therapy in Neurofibromatosis types 1 and 2, CIB on a Children’s Tumor Foundation clinical trial grant (2024-2025) for L-carnitine in NF1, and additional NHMRC and philanthropic support for osteoarthritis research and children’s bone health centers.