Celebrating Professor Mikaël Martino’s Academic Promotion

The Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) is proud to announce the promotion of our group leader Mikaël Martino to full Professor, marking a significant achievement in his distinguished career dedicated to unravelling the mysteries of tissue repair and regeneration.

Originally from Switzerland and France, Professor Martino’s journey began at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, where he completed his PhD in 2011. His early achievements earned him grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation, which supported his postdoctoral research at Osaka University’s WPI Immunology Frontier Research Centre in Japan, where he was promoted to Assistant Professor.

Since joining ARMI in 2016, Professor Martino has led a team integrating immunology, stem cell research, and bioengineering to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing tissue repair. His team employs sophisticated research tools including genetically modified animal models, injury models and molecular engineering, to study repair across tissues such as bone, skin, muscle and the heart.

When asked about the best career advice he’s received, Professor Martino said, “Focus on what really matters and try to find simple solutions to complicated problems,”. It’s a philosophy that continues to shape his approach to the complex challenges of regenerative medicine.

A major career highlight has been the establishment of Myostellar, a biotech spinout company co-founded alongside Professor Peter Currie and team members Dr Bo Yun and Dr Alison Greenway. This Monash-led venture previously secured a $1,000,000 grant from CUREator, a national biomedical incubator managed by Brandon BioCatalyst.

Myostellar aims to develop novel first-in-class therapies for stimulating skeletal muscle regeneration with minimal fibrosis – addressing a critical gap in treating muscular dystrophies, which progressively weaken muscles and significantly impact patients’ quality of life.

“To date, there are no clinically approved therapeutics which can specifically promote the regeneration and repair of skeletal muscle in a patient,” said Professor Currie, who leads the project with Professor Martino. “Development of a first-in-class therapeutic in this area will be a game-changer in the field of skeletal muscle diseases.”

Looking ahead, Professor Martino remains passionate about creating new therapeutics for regenerative medicine. His team continues to investigate why mammals – including humans – cannot regenerate most tissues, and how we might reprogram the body to heal through regeneration rather than scarring.

This well-deserved promotion celebrates not only Professor Martino’s outstanding achievements to date, but also reflects the collective efforts of his dedicated team, whose curiosity, skill and collaboration continue to drive innovation in regenerative medicine. It recognises his enduring commitment to transforming the field into a clinical reality – one with the potential to profoundly change lives.