Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Regenerative medicine & stem cell biology
  • Clinical exercise immunology
  • Pathology & haematology
  • Neuroimmunology
  • Developmental biology

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

About Samy Sakkal

Samy is a multi-award–winning senior lecturer and researcher in the College of Sport, Health and Engineering.

His research seeks to address the shortage of immunology knowledge and its application in regenerative medicine and exercise physiology. Highlights of Samy's research include the first successful adoptive transfer of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of experimental colitis. His research team was also the first in the world to demonstrate the impact of exercise on mucosal associated invariant T-lymphocytes. 

Before joining VU, Samy worked for the Australian Stem Cell Centre and Monash University. There he studied macrophage biology in models of kidney and lung disease in addition to developing a functional assay to identify ureteric bud progenitors.

His PhD from Monash University (2010) titled Regenerative Potential of the Female Thymus in Natural and Induced Models of Thymic Involution explored the impact of pregnancy, lactation and corticosteroids on maternal thymus plasticity.

His passion for teaching has been recognised by a $10,000 Australian Award for University Teaching from the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching in 2013 where he received a citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning. In 2015 he was recognised by a Teaching Excellence Award. His teaching has also been recognised by two Vice Chancellors Awards for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (2013 & 2016) including the peak teaching award & Hoadley Medal in 2016.

Qualifications

  • PhD, Monash Immunology & Stem Cell Laboratories, Monash University, Australia, 2010
  • BSc(Hons), Monash University, Australia, 2002
  • Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education, Victoria University, Australia, 2013

Key publications

Year Citation
2024 Stavely, R., Robinson, A. M., Fraser, S., Filippone, R. T., Stojanovska, V., Eri, R., Apostolopoulos, V., Sakkal, S., & Nurgali, K. (241201). Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells mitigate chronic colitis and enteric neuropathy via anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative mechanisms. Scientific Reports, 14(1),

doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-57070-6

2023 Stavely, R., Ott, L. C., Sahakian, L., Rashidi, N., Sakkal, S., & Nurgali, K. (231201). Oxidative Stress and Neural Dysfunction in Gastrointestinal Diseases: Can Stem Cells Offer a Solution?. Stem Cells Translational Medicine, 12(12), (801-810).

doi: 10.1093/stcltm/szad063

2023 Stavely, R., Ott, L. C., Rashidi, N., Sakkal, S., & Nurgali, K. (231101). The Oxidative Stress and Nervous Distress Connection in Gastrointestinal Disorders. Biomolecules, 13(11),

doi: 10.3390/biom13111586

2023 Sakkal, S. (230901). You Wnt some, you lose none: lessons learnt from a non-canonical immunology educator. Immunology and Cell Biology, 101(8), (693-697).

doi: 10.1111/imcb.12663

2023 Swiderski, J., Sakkal, S., Apostolopoulos, V., Zulli, A., & Gadanec, L. K. (230601). Combination of Taurine and Black Pepper Extract as a Treatment for Cardiovascular and Coronary Artery Diseases. Nutrients, 15(11),

doi: 10.3390/nu15112562

2023 Hanson, E. D., Sakkal, S., Bates-Fraser, L. C., Que, S., Cho, E., Spielmann, G., Kadife, E., Violet, J. A., Battaglini, C. L., & Stoner, L. (230101). Acute exercise induces distinct quantitative and phenotypical T cell profiles in men with prostate cancer. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5

doi: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1173377

2022 Stavely, R., Sahakian, L., Filippone, R. T., Stojanovska, V., Bornstein, J. C., Sakkal, S., & Nurgali, K. (221201). Oxidative Stress-Induced HMGB1 Translocation in Myenteric Neurons Contributes to Neuropathy in Colitis. Biomolecules, 12(12),

doi: 10.3390/biom12121831

2020 Hanson, E. D., Sakkal, S., Que, S., Cho, E., Spielmann, G., Kadife, E., Violet, J. A., Battaglini, C. L., Stoner, L., & Bartlett, D. B. (200901). Natural killer cell mobilization and egress following acute exercise in men with prostate cancer. Experimental Physiology, 105(9), (1524-1539).

doi: 10.1113/EP088627

2019 Hanson, E. D., Danson, E., Evans, W. S., Wood, W. A., Battaglini, C. L., & Sakkal, S. (190201). Exercise Increases Mucosal-associated Invariant T Cell Cytokine Expression but Not Activation or Homing Markers.. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(2), (379-388).

doi: 10.1249/mss.0000000000001780

2019 Hanson, E. D., Danson, E., Evans, W. S., Wood, W. A., Battaglini, C. L., & Sakkal, S. (190201). Exercise Increases Mucosal-associated Invariant T Cell Cytokine Expression but Not Activation or Homing Markers. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 51(2), (379-388).

doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001780

Research funding for the past 5 years

Funding details for this researcher are currently unavailable.

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
2 PhD Associate supervisor
1 Masters by Research Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (2) Associate supervisor
Masters by Research (1) Associate supervisor

Other supervision of research students

International supervision completion: Eli Danson, Masters of Arts (exercise physiology), University of Northern Carolina

Teaching activities & experience

Samy is an award-winning educator who has taught and coordinated teaching in the discipline areas of Immunology, Pathology & Stem Cell biology since 2011.

In 2018, he was promoted to senior lecturer. He was subsequently appointed as unit coordinator for all second year Pathophysiology units in the Bachelor of Biomedicine & Bachelor of Biomedical Science degrees where he teaches and coordinates the units RBM2530 (Pathophysiology 1) and RBM2540 (Pathophysiology 2).

Samy was responsible for rewriting the entire second-year pathophysiology curriculum for delivery in VU's award-winning block model for first delivery in 2019.

Samy is also the unit coordinator for Immunology (RBM3720) – a role he has had since 2011 – and in 2019 is also the unit coordinator for Reproductive and Developmental Biology (HBM3106).

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Jan 2018 - Present
Senior Lecturer (current ongoing)
Victoria University
Jul 2013 - Dec 2017
Lecturer
Victoria University
Apr 2011 - Jun 2013
Assistant Lecturer
Victoria University
Jan 2010 - Sep 2010
Research officer
Monash Immunology & Stem Cell Biology
Jul 2008 - Jul 2009
Research Officer
Australian Stem Cell Centre
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Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jan 2018 -
Present
Senior Lecturer (current ongoing)
Victoria University
Jul 2013 -
Dec 2017
Lecturer
Victoria University
Apr 2011 -
Jun 2013
Assistant Lecturer
Victoria University
Jan 2010 -
Sep 2010
Research officer
Monash Immunology & Stem Cell Biology
Jul 2008 -
Jul 2009
Research Officer
Australian Stem Cell Centre
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Awards

Year Award
2016

Vice Chancellors Award for Excellence in Learning and teaching - Peak Award - Victoria University

2015

Teaching Excellence Award - College of Health & Biomedicine - Victoria University

2013

Australian Awards for University Teaching, Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning - Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching

2013

Vice Chancellors Award for Excellence in Learning and teaching - Citation - Victoria University

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Keynote and invited speeches

Year Title/Description
2015

All the world's a stage: engaging large cohorts in health sciences through the use of drama and narrative

1st Annual Learning & Teaching Symposium, Victoria University (45 minute talk)

2014

Unbiased flow cytometric analysis of platelet aggregation and activation: guidelines for standardisation

Australasian Cytometry Society, Annual meeting, Gold Coast, Australia (30 minute talk)

2014

Differential pedagogical approaches for immunology teaching: engaging undergraduate health cohorts

Australasian Society for Immunology, Annual meeting, Wollongong, Australia

Professional memberships

  • Ordinary Member, Australasian Society for Immunology
  • Ordinary Member, International Society for Stem Cell Research
  • Ordinary Member, Australasian Cytometry Society

Media appearances

02nd March 2019

IVF and advances in stem cell biology - community engagement project

92.3FM 3ZZZ community radio In this interview, the President of the radio station asks Dr Sakkal about IVF and advances in stem cell biology

16th February 2019

The Secrets of The Hunza Tribe - An Immunologist's perspective - community engagement project

92.3FM 3ZZZ community radio In this interview, the President of the radio station asks Dr Sakkal about the secrets of the Hunza tribe, which report lifespan's of over 100 years. Dr Sakkal provides his opinion on why the Hunza people enjoy a long and healthy life