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Dr Natalie Wee

Research Unit

Bone cell biology & disease

Information

Research Officer
 

Professional Experience

2020 – present       E.H. Flack Fellow, Bone Cell Biology and Disease, 
                                St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research 
2017 – 2020            Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Regenerative Medicine and
                                Skeletal Development, University of Connecticut 
                                Health Center 
2016 – 2017            Postdoctoral Associate, Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases,
                                Washington University in St. Louis 
2013 – 2016            PhD Bone Biology, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and
                                UNSW Australia (awarded 2017)
2009 – 2012           Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours in Physiology),
                                University of Sydney 

Achievements

2020        E.H. Flack Fellowship 
2020        SVI Rising Star Award 
2019        American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR)
                Young Investigator Travel Grant 
2018        Travel grant to attend the Twelfth EFF/ASBMR Fellows Forum on
                Metabolic Bone Diseases, Endocrine Fellows Foundation 
2018        American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR)
                Young Investigator Travel Grant 
2015        American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR)
                Young Investigator Travel Grant   
2013        Australian Postgraduate Award, UNSW Australia 

Research Interests

Defining cells and mechanisms that influence cortical bone strength 
Lineage tracing of progenitor populations within bone 
Neural innervation and regulation of the skeleton 
Metabolic regulation of bone and energy homeostasis 

Selected Publications

  1. Root SH*, Wee NKY*, Novak S, Rosen CJ, Baron R, Matthews BG, Kalajzic I.  (2020) Perivascular osteoprogenitors are associated with transcortical channels of long bones. Stem Cells. 36(6):769-81. doi:  10.1002/stem.3159. *Co-first authors. 
  2. Sinder BP, Novak S, Wee NK, Basile M, Maye P, Matthews BG and Kalajzic I. (2020) Transplantation of Bone Marrow Derived Stromal Cells Improves Osteogenesis Imperfecta Murine Bone Phenotype.  Stem Cells. 38(4):530-41. doi: 10.1002/stem.3133 
  3. Matthews BG, Wee NK, Widjaja WN, Price JS, Kalajzic I and Windahl SH. (2020) αSMA osteoprogenitor cells contribute to the increase in osteoblast number in response to loading. Calcified Tissue International. 106(2):208-217 doi: 10.1007/s00223-019-00624-y 
  4. Wee NK, Lorenz ML, Bekirov Y, Jacquin MF and Scheller EL. (2019) Shared autonomic pathways connect bone marrow and peripheral adipose tissues across the central neuraxis. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 10: 668. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00668 
  5. Wee NK, Sinder BP, Novak S, Wang X, Stoddard C, Matthews BG and Kalajzic I. (2019) Skeletal Phenotype of the Neuropeptide Y knockout mouse. Neuropeptides. 73: 78-88. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2018.11.009 
  6. Craft CS, Wee NK and Scheller EL. (2018) Chapter 126: Adipocytes and Bone. In: Primer on the Metabolic Bone Diseases and Disorders of Mineral Metabolism. 9th eds. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. pp. 974-982. doi: 10.1002/9781119266594 
  7. Wee NK, Enriquez R.F., Nguyen A.D., Horsnell H., Kulkarni R.N., Khor E.C., Herzog H. and Baldock P.A. (2018) Diet-induced obesity suppresses cortical bone accrual by a Neuropeptide Y dependent mechanism. International Journal of Obesity. 42(11):1925-1938. doi: 10.1038/s41366-018-0028-y 
  8. Nguyen AD, Lee NJ, Wee NK, Zhang L, Enriquez RF, Khor EC, Nie T, Wu D, Sainsbury A, Baldock PA and Herzog H. (2018) Uncoupling protein-1 is protective of bone mass under mild cold stress conditions. Bone. pii: S8756-3282(15)00218-5. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2015.05.037 
  9. Scheller EL, Khoury B, Moller KL, Wee NK, Khandaker S, Kozloff KM, Abrishami SH, Zamarron BF and Singer K. (2016) Changes in Skeletal Integrity and Marrow Adiposity during High-Fat Diet and after Weight Loss. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 7:102. doi:10.3389/fendo.2016.00102 
  10. Wee NK, Kulkarni RN, Horsnell H and Baldock PA. (2016) The brain in bone and fuel metabolism. Bone. 82, 56-63 doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2015.10.020