Prof Kelly Rogers OAM, Division Head | WEHI Researcher Profile

Q: Development and application of improved methods for high-resolution three- and four-dimensional imaging

The imaging lab is working collaboratively with research teams to apply methods that have emerged in recent years, which improve both 3D and 4D image capture and the reconstruction of large-scale tissue areas or whole mount specimens from serial sections. Project links/resources: Kan A et al. Quantitative analysis of Plasmodium ookinete motion in three dimensions suggests a critical role for cell shape in the biomechanics of malaria parasite gliding motility. Cell Microbiol. 2014 May;16(5):734-50.

Q: Microscope automation project

This project aims to increase sample throughput and minimise manual operations by applying new software tools that increase automation. These methods promise to overcome some of the major challenges in microscopy, such as the capture of live specimens with high spatio-temporal resolution.

Q: Quantitative image analysis

The application of quantitative methods for the segmentation and extraction of features in digital images is critical for understanding the statistical importance of observations made in biological imaging. We work with a number of software packages to improve the automation of image segmentation and the export of measured parameters. Where possible, we streamline data analysis using open source and free software, to give researchers greater independence and to encourage wider collaboration. We are also working on ways to manage and process large data sets (up to 100s of gigabytes in size) to ensure we can avoid bottlenecks commonly associated with new technologies, which have continually increasing rates of data output.Image: https://www.wehi.edu.au/sites/default/files/Art-science-retinal-vascilature.pngImage caption: Automated computational analysis image of retinal vasculature.Project resource: Sleebs et al. Inhibition of Plasmepsin V activity demonstrates its essential role in protein export, PfEMP1 display, and survival of malaria parasites. PLoS Biol. 2014 Jul 1;12(7):e1001897.

About

Optical imaging, which includes confocal microscopy, is routinely used in biomedical research for probing cellular morphology, tissue structure and function. A unique feature of this method is the ability to visualise discrete details in the intact biological system across a broad range of scales in both space and time. We specialise in the capture and quantitative analysis of multi-dimensional images, ranging from the subcellular to whole organism level, with a major focus on applying these methods to studies on important diseases, particularly those involving blood and stem cell biology.

The capture and analysis of multi-dimensional data is a multi-stage process, incorporating:
* Experimental design and sample preparation
* Image acquisition
* Image processing and analysis

We work together with researchers with the aim to apply and optimise optical imaging experiments at each stage of this process, while maintaining an emphasis on training and education.

Education

Publications

Selected publications from Prof Kelly Rogers OAM

Broomfield BJ, Tan CW, Qin RZ, Abberger H, Duckworth BC, Alvarado C, Dalit L, Lee CL, Mugan RS, Mazrad ZAI, Muramatsu H, Mackiewicz L, Williams BE, Chen J, Takanashi A, Fabb S, Pellegrini M, Rogers KL, Moon WJ, Pouton CW, Davis MJ, Nutt SL, Pardi N, Wimmer VC, Groom JR. Transient inhibition of type I interferon enhances CD8+ T cell stemness and vaccine protection. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 2025;222(5):10.1084/jem.20241148

Bergamasco MI, Ogier JM, Garnham AL, Whitehead L, Rogers K, Smyth GK, Burt RA, Voss AK, Thomas T. Loss of KAT6B causes premature ossification and promotes osteoblast differentiation during development. Developmental Biology. 2025;520:10.1016/j.ydbio.2025.01.012

Du MRM, Wang C, Law CW, Amann-Zalcenstein D, Anttila CJA, Ling L, Hickey PF, Sargeant CJ, Chen Y, Ioannidis LJ, Rajasekhar P, Yip RKH, Rogers KL, Hansen DS, Bowden R, Ritchie ME. Benchmarking spatial transcriptomics technologies with the multi-sample SpatialBenchVisium dataset. Genome Biology. 2025;26(1):10.1186/s13059-025-03543-4

Bergamasco MI, Ozturk E, Casillas-Espinosa PM, Garnham AL, Abeysekera W, Wimmer VC, Rajasekhar P, Vanyai HK, Whitehead L, Blewitt ME, Rogers K, Vogel AP, Hannan AJ, Smyth GK, Jones NC, Thomas T, Voss AK. KAT6B overexpression in mice causes aggression, anxiety, and epilepsy. iScience. 2025;28(3):10.1016/j.isci.2025.111953

Yip RKH, Hawkins ED, Bowden R, Rogers KL. Towards deciphering the bone marrow microenvironment with spatial multi-omics. Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology. 2025;167:10.1016/j.semcdb.2025.01.001

Atkin-Smith GK, Santavanond JP, Light A, Rimes JS, Samson AL, Er J, Liu J, Johnson DN, Le Page M, Rajasekhar P, Yip RKH, Geoghegan ND, Rogers KL, Chang C, Bryant VL, Margetts M, Keightley MC, Kilpatrick TJ, Binder MD, Tran S, Lee EF, Fairlie WD, Ozkocak DC, Wei AH, Hawkins ED, Poon IKH. In situ visualization of endothelial cell-derived extracellular vesicle formation in steady state and malignant conditions. Nature Communications. 2024;15(1):10.1038/s41467-024-52867-5

Dans MG, Boulet C, Watson GM, Nguyen W, Dziekan JM, Evelyn C, Reaksudsan K, Mehra S, Razook Z, Geoghegan ND, Mlodzianoski MJ, Goodman CD, Ling DB, Jonsdottir TK, Tong J, Famodimu MT, Kristan M, Pollard H, Stewart LB, Brandner-Garrod L, Sutherland CJ, Delves MJ, McFadden GI, Barry AE, Crabb BS, de Koning-Ward TF, Rogers KL, Cowman AF, Tham W-H, Sleebs BE, Gilson PR. Author Correction: Aryl amino acetamides prevent Plasmodium falciparum ring development via targeting the lipid-transfer protein PfSTART1. Nature Communications. 2024;15(1):10.1038/s41467-024-52849-7

Kousa AI, Jahn L, Zhao K, Flores AE, Acenas D, Lederer E, Argyropoulos KV, Lemarquis AL, Granadier D, Cooper K, D’Andrea M, Sheridan JM, Tsai J, Sikkema L, Lazrak A, Nichols K, Lee N, Ghale R, Malard F, Andrlova H, Velardi E, Youssef S, Burgos da Silva M, Docampo M, Sharma R, Mazutis L, Wimmer VC, Rogers KL, DeWolf S, Gipson B, Gomes ALC, Setty M, Pe’er D, Hale L, Manley NR, Gray DHD, van den Brink MRM, Dudakov JA. Age-related epithelial defects limit thymic function and regeneration. Nature Immunology. 2024;25(9):10.1038/s41590-024-01915-9

Chiou S, Al-Ani AH, Pan Y, Patel KM, Kong IY, Whitehead LW, Light A, Young SN, Barrios M, Sargeant C, Rajasekhar P, Zhu L, Hempel A, Lin A, Rickard JA, Hall C, Gangatirkar P, Yip RK, Cawthorne W, Jacobsen AV, Horne CR, Martin KR, Ioannidis LJ, Hansen DS, Day J, Wicks IP, Law C, Ritchie ME, Bowden R, Hildebrand JM, O’Reilly LA, Silke J, Giulino-Roth L, Tsui E, Rogers KL, Hawkins ED, Christensen B, Murphy JM, Samson AL. An immunohistochemical atlas of necroptotic pathway expression. EMBO Molecular Medicine. 2024;16(7):10.1038/s44321-024-00074-6

Dans MG, Boulet C, Watson GM, Nguyen W, Dziekan JM, Evelyn C, Reaksudsan K, Mehra S, Razook Z, Geoghegan ND, Mlodzianoski MJ, Goodman CD, Ling DB, Jonsdottir TK, Tong J, Famodimu MT, Kristan M, Pollard H, Stewart LB, Brandner-Garrod L, Sutherland CJ, Delves MJ, McFadden GI, Barry AE, Crabb BS, de Koning-Ward TF, Rogers KL, Cowman AF, Tham W-H, Sleebs BE, Gilson PR. Aryl amino acetamides prevent Plasmodium falciparum ring development via targeting the lipid-transfer protein PfSTART1. Nature Communications. 2024;15(1):10.1038/s41467-024-49491-8

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Lab research projects

Development and application of improved methods for high-resolution three- and four-dimensional imaging

Microscope automation project

Quantitative image analysis

Prof Kelly Rogers OAM

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