Profile image of Matthew McKenzie

Dr Matthew McKenzie

STAFF PROFILE

Position

Senior Lecturer, Biomedical Science

Faculty

Faculty of Sci Eng & Built Env

Department

School of Life & Env Sciences

Campus

Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Melbourne, 2003

Contact

m.mckenzie@deakin.edu.au
+61 3 522 73015

Biography

Dr Matthew McKenzie undertook his PhD at St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, studying mitochondrial disease pathogenesis through the development of novel mouse models of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) disease. He continued his mitochondrial research at University College London, investigating how mitochondrial calcium handling and ATP generation are disrupted in mitochondrial disorders.
Dr McKenzie returned to Australia in 2004, receiving an NHMRC Peter Doherty Fellowship, and subsequently an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship, to continue his research at La Trobe University. During this time he focused on the biogenesis of mitochondrial complex I, identifying new disease genes involved in this process. In 2011, Dr McKenzie was appointed as an independent Research Group Leader at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research and was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship to support his research programme.
In 2018, Dr McKenzie relocated his research lab to Deakin University and was appointed as Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science. His current research focuses on the interactions between mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation (FAO) and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) protein complexes and their importance in human disease pathology. His teaching focus is cell biology and biochemistry, with appointment as the Director for the Master of Biotechnology Course in 2023.

Read more on Matthew's profile

Career highlights

2012-2016: ARC Future Fellowship

2009-2012: NHMRC Career Development Fellowship

2006-2009: NHMRC Peter Doherty Fellowship

Research interests

Mitochondria are the ‘powerhouses’ of eukaryotic cells, oxidizing sugars and fats to generate the energy molecule adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP). Defects in mitochondrial function can cause disease in both children and adults, which in many cases is fatal. Tissues with high energy demand, such as brain, heart and liver, are commonly affected, with few therapies available for treatment. Dr McKenzie’s research aims to define the pathological mechanisms which underlie these diseases, in particular how disruption of mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation (FAO) and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Dr McKenzie’s group is defining the important physical interactions between FAO and OXPHOS protein complexes and determining how their disruption contributes to mitochondrial disease pathology. They are also investigating the role that various FAO proteins play in the biogenesis and assembly of the OXPHOS complexes. To do this, they use techniques such as Blue Native-PAGE, in vitro mitochondrial import and protein assembly assays. His group has also developed novel human models of FAO disease by reprogramming patient fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and by CRISPR gene disruption in human ES cells. These stem cell lines can be differentiated into neurons, cardiomyocytes and hepatocytes to model mitochondrial disease pathology in a cell-type specific manner.

Teaching interests

Course Director Master of Biotechnology

Cell Biology, Human Disease, Metabolism

Units taught

SLE111 - Cells and Genes

SLE212 - Biochemistry

SLE222- Biochemical Metabolism

Knowledge areas

Mitochondrial biology; Mitochondrial Disease; Oxidative Phosphorylation; Fatty acid oxidation; Stem Cells

Conferences

2022: Speaker, AussieMit Conference on Mitochondrial Biology and Disease, Sydney

2019: Speaker, Deakin Teaching and Learning Conference

2019: Speaker, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Australian Alumni Association Symposium

2018: Scientific Program Committee, AussieMit Conference on Mitochondrial Biology and Disease, Melbourne

2016: Speaker, AussieMit Conference on Mitochondrial Biology and Disease, Sydney

2016: Invited Speaker, Mitochondrial Disease Research Symposium, Saitama Medical University, Tokyo, Japan

2014: Speaker, AussieMit Conference on Mitochondrial Biology and Disease, Perth

2012: Organizing Committee, AussieMit Conference on Mitochondrial Biology and Disease, Melbourne

2013: Speaker, ComBio2013, Perth

2010: Speaker, Gordon Research Conference, ‘Mitochondria and Chloroplasts’, Italy.

2008: Speaker, Lorne Protein Conference, Australia

2008: Speaker, United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, USA

2008: Organizing Committee, the inaugural AussieMit Conference on Mitochondrial Biology and Disease, Melbourne

2007: Speaker, European Conference on Mitochondrial Pathology, 'Euromit', Venice, Italy

Professional activities

2020-current: Deakin Research Integrity Advisor

2019-current: Deakin Animal Ethics Committee

2019: Deakin Vice-Chancellors Academic Excellence Scholarship Program (VCPEP) Mentor

2017: NHMRC Grant Review Panel, Biochemistry and Cell Biology

2017: Project Grant Reviewer, University of Belgium and MRC DPFS Scheme, UK

2016:  Book Editor, Methods in Molecular Biology Series; ‘Mitochondrial DNA’, Springer

2015: Project Grant Reviewer, Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation, Germany

2013-current: External Reviewer, ARC Discovery Projects and Fellowships

2012: Guest Editor: ‘Frontiers of Mitochondrial Research’, Biochim Biophys Acta - General Subjects

2011-current: External Reviewer, NHMRC Project Grants

2011-current: External Reviewer, ARC Discovery Projects, DECRA and Future Fellowships

2010:  Project grant Reviewer, The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO)

Awards

2022: Deakin Commendation for Scientific Publication

2012: Monash Research Accelerator Program

2008:  Junior Investigator Award, 33rd Lorne Conference on Protein Structure and Function

2002: Junior Investigator Award, St. Vincent's Hospital Research Week, Melbourne

Projects

Developing new stem cell models to investigate how defects in fatty acid oxidation contribute to human mitochondrial disease

Defining how microRNAs regulate mitochondrial metabolism

Developing novel therapeutic compounds for treating mitochondrial disease

Publications

Filter by

2024

Amyloid beta 42 alters cardiac metabolism and impairs cardiac function in male mice with obesity

L Hall, J Czeczor, T Connor, J Botella, K De Jong, M Renton, A Genders, K Venardos, S Martin, S Bond, K Aston-Mourney, K Howlett, J Campbell, G Collier, K Walder, M McKenzie, M Ziemann, S McGee

(2024), Vol. 15, pp. 1-13, Nature Communications, London, Eng., C1

journal article
2022

MicroRNA-101-3p Modulates Mitochondrial Metabolism via the Regulation of Complex II Assembly

Mark Ziemann, Sze Lim, Yilin Kang, Sona Samuel, Isabel Sanchez, Michael Gantier, Diana Stojanovski, Matthew McKenzie

(2022), Vol. 434, pp. 1-16, Journal of Molecular Biology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1

journal article

The Effects of in Utero Fetal Hypoxia and Creatine Treatment on Mitochondrial Function in the Late Gestation Fetal Sheep Brain

A Muccini, N Tran, N Hale, M McKenzie, R Snow, D Walker, S Ellery

(2022), Vol. 2022, pp. 1-19, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Cairo, Egypt, C1

journal article

Loss of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation protein short-chain Enoyl-CoA hydratase disrupts oxidative phosphorylation protein complex stability and function

H Burgin, A Sharpe, S Nie, M Ziemann, J Crameri, D Stojanovski, J Pitt, A Ohtake, K Murayama, M McKenzie

(2022), pp. 1-22, FEBS Journal, London, Eng., C1

journal article

Stimulating Mitochondrial Biogenesis with Deoxyribonucleosides Increases Functional Capacity in ECHS1-Deficient Cells

Harrison Burgin, Jordan Crameri, Diana Stojanovski, M Sanchez, Mark Ziemann, Matthew McKenzie

(2022), Vol. 23, pp. 1-19, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Basel, Switzerland, C1

journal article
2021

Integrating mitochondrial aerobic metabolism into ecology and evolution

Rebecca Koch, Katherine Buchanan, Stefania Casagrande, Ondi Crino, Damian Dowling, Geoffrey Hill, Wendy Hood, Matthew McKenzie, Mylene Mariette, Daniel Noble, Alexandra Pavlova, Frank Seebacher, Paul Sunnucks, Eve Udino, Craig White, Karine Salin, Antoine Stier

(2021), Vol. 36, pp. 321-332, Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Oxford, Eng., C1

journal article

Prenatal acoustic programming of mitochondrial function for high temperatures in an arid-adapted bird

E Udino, J George, M McKenzie, A Pessato, O Crino, K Buchanan, M Mariette

(2021), Vol. 288, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, England, C1

journal article
2020

Understanding the role of OXPHOS dysfunction in the pathogenesis of ECHS1 Deficiency

Harrison Burgin, Matthew McKenzie

(2020), Vol. 594, pp. 590-610, FEBS Letters, Chichester, Eng., C1

journal article

Pioglitazone and deoxyribonucleoside combination treatment increases mitochondrial respiratory capacity in m.3243A>G MELAS cybrid cells

H Burgin, M Sanchez, C Smith, I Trounce, M McKenzie

(2020), Vol. 21, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Switzerland, C1

journal article

Assessment of the web-based audience response system socrative for biomedical science revision classes

Matthew McKenzie, Mark Ziemann

(2020), pp. 1-6, International Journal of Educational Research Open, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1

journal article

Nuclear response to divergent mitochondrial DNA genotypes modulates the interferon immune response

M Lopez Sanchez, M Ziemann, A Bachem, R Makam, J Crowston, C Pinkert, M McKenzie, S Bedoui, I Trounce

(2020), Vol. 15, pp. e0239804-, PloS one, United States, C1

journal article
2019

Measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential with the fluorescent dye Tetramethylrhodamine Methyl Ester (TMRM)

Sarah Creed, Matthew McKenzie

(2019), Vol. 1928, pp. 69-76, Cancer metabolism, New York, N.Y., B1

book chapter

Most clinical anti-EGFR antibodies do not neutralize both wtEGFR and EGFRvIII activation in glioma

S Greenall, M McKenzie, E Seminova, O Dolezal, L Pearce, J Bentley, M Kuchibhotla, S Chen, K McDonald, H Kornblum, R Endersby, T Adams, T Johns

(2019), Vol. 21, pp. 1016-1027, Neuro-Oncology, England, C1

journal article
2018

Loss of the Mitochondrial Fatty Acid β-Oxidation Protein Medium-Chain Acyl-Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Disrupts Oxidative Phosphorylation Protein Complex Stability and Function

S Lim, M Tajika, M Shimura, K Carey, D Stroud, K Murayama, A Ohtake, M McKenzie

(2018), Vol. 8, Scientific Reports, England, C1-1

journal article

Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation disorders associated with short-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase (ECHS1) deficiency

A Sharpe, M McKenzie

(2018), Vol. 7, Cells, Switzerland, C1-1

journal article
2017

Monocytes and dendritic cells are the primary sources of interleukin 37 in human immune cells

Ina Rudloff, Steven Cho, Jason Lao, Devi Ngo, Matthew McKenzie, Claudia Nold-Petry, Marcel Nold

(2017), Vol. 101, pp. 901-911, Journal of leukocyte biology, Chichester, Eng., C1-1

journal article

Simultaneous measurement of mitochondrial calcium and mitochondrial membrane potential in live cells by fluorescent microscopy

M McKenzie, S Lim, M Duchen

(2017), Vol. 2017, Journal of Visualized Experiments, United States, C1-1

journal article

Mitochondrial DNA haplotypes induce differential patterns of DNA methylation that result in differential chromosomal gene expression patterns

W Lee, X Sun, T Tsai, J Johnson, J Gould, D Garama, D Gough, M McKenzie, I Trounce, J St. John

(2017), Vol. 3, Cell Death Discovery, United States, C1-1

journal article
2016

Generation of xenomitochondrial embryonic stem cells for the production of live xenomitochondrial mice

Ian Trounce, Jessica Ackerley, Matthew McKenzie

(2016), pp. 163-173, Mitochondrial DNA : methods and protocols, Berlin, Germany, B1-1

book chapter

Tim29 is a novel subunit of the human TIM22 translocase and is involved in complex assembly and stability

Y Kang, M Baker, M Liem, J Louber, M McKenzie, I Atukorala, C Ang, S Keerthikumar, S Mathivanan, D Stojanovski

(2016), Vol. 5, eLife, England, C1-1

journal article

Loss of mitochondrial DNA-encoded protein ND1 results in disruption of complex I biogenesis during early stages of assembly

S Lim, J Hroudová, N Van Bergen, M Lopez Sanchez, I Trounce, M McKenzie

(2016), Vol. 30, pp. 2236-2248, FASEB Journal, United States, C1-1

journal article

Dietary interventions designed to protect the perinatal brain from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy - Creatine prophylaxis and the need for multi-organ protection

S Ellery, H Dickinson, M McKenzie, D Walker

(2016), Vol. 95, pp. 15-23, Neurochemistry International, England, C1-1

journal article

Impaired cellular bioenergetics causes mitochondrial calcium handling defects in MT-ND5 mutant cybrids

M McKenzie, M Duchen

(2016), Vol. 11, PLoS ONE, United States, C1-1

journal article

Restoration of normal embryogenesis by mitochondrial supplementation in pig oocytes exhibiting mitochondrial DNA deficiency

G Cagnone, T Tsai, Y Makanji, P Matthews, J Gould, M Bonkowski, K Elgass, A Wong, L Wu, M McKenzie, D Sinclair, J John

(2016), Vol. 6, Scientific Reports, England, C1-1

journal article

Combined defects in oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid β-oxidation in Mitochondrial disease

A Nsiah-Sefaa, M McKenzie

(2016), Vol. 36, Bioscience Reports, England, C1-1

journal article

AarF domain containing kinase 3 (ADCK3) mutant cells display signs of oxidative stress, defects in mitochondrial homeostasis and lysosomal accumulation

J Cullen, N Murad, A Yeo, M McKenzie, M Ward, K Chong, N Schieber, R Parton, Y Lim, E Wolvetang, G Maghzal, R Stocker, M Lavin

(2016), Vol. 11, PLoS ONE, United States, C1-1

journal article

Deletion of the Complex I Subunit NDUFS4 Adversely Modulates Cellular Differentiation

J Johnson, W Lee, A Frazier, V Vaghjiani, A Laskowski, A Rodriguez, G Cagnone, M McKenzie, S White, D Nisbet, D Thorburn, J St. John

(2016), Vol. 25, pp. 239-250, Stem Cells and Development, United States, C1-1

journal article
2015

Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA in induced pluripotent and embryonic stem cells

William Lee, Richard Kelly, Ka Yeung, Gael Cagnone, Matthew McKenzie, Justin St John

(2015), Vol. 1330, pp. 219-252, Cell reprogramming : methods and protocols, Berlin, Germany, B1-1

book chapter

Characterization of mitochondrial FOXRED1 in the assembly of respiratory chain complex I

Luke Formosa, Masakazu Mimaki, Ann Frazier, Matthew McKenzie, Tegan Stait, David Thorburn, David Stroud, Michael Ryan

(2015), Vol. 24, pp. 2952-2965, Human molecular genetics, Oxford, Eng., C1-1

journal article

Anti-cancer analogues ME-143 and ME-344 exert toxicity by directly inhibiting mitochondrial NADH: Ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Complex I)

S Lim, K Carey, M McKenzie

(2015), Vol. 5, pp. 689-701, American Journal of Cancer Research, Madison, Wis., C1-1

journal article
2014

A founder mutation in PET100 causes isolated complex IV deficiency in Lebanese individuals with Leigh syndrome

Sze Lim, Katherine Smith, David Stroud, Alison Compton, Elena Tucker, Ayan Dasvarma, Luke Gandolfo, Justine Marum, Matthew McKenzie, Heidi Peters, David Mowat, Peter Procopis, Bridget Wilcken, John Christodoulou, Garry Brown, Michael Ryan, Melanie Bahlo, David Thorburn

(2014), Vol. 94, pp. 209-222, American Journal of Human Genetics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1

journal article

The identification of mitochondrial DNA variants in glioblastoma multiforme

Ka Yeung, Adam Dickinson, Jacqueline Donoghue, Galina Polekhina, Stefan White, Dimitris Grammatopoulos, Matthew McKenzie, Terrance Johns, Justin St John

(2014), Vol. 2, pp. 1-21, Acta neuropathologica communications, London, England, C1-1

journal article

Capture of somatic mtDNA point mutations with severe effects on oxidative phosphorylation in synaptosome cybrid clones from human brain

Matthew McKenzie, Maria Chiotis, Jana Hroudová, Maria Lopez Sanchez, Sze Lim, Mark Cook, Penny McKelvie, Richard Cotton, Michael Murphy, Justin St John, Ian Trounce

(2014), Vol. 35, pp. 1476-1484, Human mutation, London, Eng., C1-1

journal article
2013

Mitochondrial DNA mutations and their effects on complex I biogenesis: implications for metabolic disease

M McKenzie

(2013), pp. 25-47, Mitochondrial DNA, mitochondria, disease and stem cells, New York, N.Y., B1-1

book chapter

Mitochondrial DNA haplotypes define gene expression patterns in pluripotent and differentiating embryonic stem cells

Richard Kelly, Andrew Rodda, Adam Dickinson, Arsalan Mahmud, Christian Nefzger, William Lee, John Forsythe, Jose Polo, Ian Trounce, Matthew McKenzie, David Nisbet, Justin St John

(2013), Vol. 31, pp. 703-716, Stem cells, Chichester, Eng., C1-1

journal article

The effects of nuclear reprogramming on mitochondrial DNA replication

Richard Kelly, Huseyin Sumer, Matthew McKenzie, Joao Facucho-Oliveira, Ian Trounce, Paul Verma, Justin St John

(2013), Vol. 9, pp. 1-15, Stem cell reviews and reports, Cham, Switzerland, C1-1

journal article

The regulation of mitochondrial DNA copy number in glioblastoma cells

A Dickinson, K Yeung, J Donoghue, M Baker, R Kelly, M McKenzie, T Johns, J St John

(2013), Vol. 20, pp. 1644-1653, Cell death & differentiation, London, Eng., C1-1

journal article

Mitochondrial dysfunction in a novel form of autosomal recessive ataxia

Nor Murad, Jason Cullen, Matthew McKenzie, Michael Ryan, David Thorburn, Nuri Gueven, Junya Kobayashi, Geoff Birrell, Jian Yang, Thilo Dörk, Olivier Becherel, Padraic Grattan-Smith, Martin Lavin

(2013), Vol. 13, pp. 235-245, Mitochondrion, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1

journal article

Modulation of ceramide-induced cell death and superoxide production by mitochondrial DNA-encoded respiratory chain defects in Rattus xenocybrid mouse cells

Ian Trounce, Peter Crouch, Kirstyn Carey, Matthew McKenzie

(2013), Vol. 1827, pp. 817-825, Biochimica et biophysica acta (BBA) - bioenergetics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1

journal article
2012

Mitochondrial DNA copy number is regulated in a tissue specific manner by DNA methylation of the nuclear-encoded DNA polymerase gamma A

Richard Kelly, Arsalan Mahmud, Matthew McKenzie, Ian Trounce, Justin St John

(2012), Vol. 40, pp. 10124-10138, Nucleic acids research, Oxford, Eng., C1-1

journal article

Next-generation sequencing in molecular diagnosis: NUBPL mutations highlight the challenges of variant detection and interpretation

Elena Tucker, Masakazu Mimaki, Alison Compton, Matthew McKenzie, Michael Ryan, David Thorburn

(2012), Vol. 33, pp. 411-418, Human mutation, Chichester, Eng., C1-1

journal article

Proteomic and metabolomic analyses of mitochondrial complex I-deficient mouse model generated by spontaneous B2 short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) insertion into NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) Fe-S protein 4 (Ndufs4) gene

Dillon Leong, Jasper Komen, Chelsee Hewitt, Estelle Arnaud, Matthew McKenzie, Belinda Phipson, Melanie Bahlo, Adrienne Laskowski, Sarah Kinkel, Gayle Davey, William Heath, Anne Voss, René Zahedi, James Pitt, Roman Chrast, Albert Sickmann, Michael Ryan, Gordon Smyth, David Thorburn, Hamish Scott

(2012), Vol. 287, pp. 20652-20663, Journal of biological chemistry, Rockville, Md., C1-1

journal article

Understanding mitochondrial complex I assembly in health and disease

Masakazu Mimaki, Xiaonan Wang, Matthew McKenzie, David Thorburn, Michael Ryan

(2012), Vol. 1817, pp. 851-862, Biochimica et biophysica acta (BBA) - bioenergetics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1

journal article
2011

Mutations in the gene encoding C8orf38 block complex I assembly by inhibiting production of the mitochondria-encoded subunit ND1

Matthew McKenzie, Elena Tucker, Alison Compton, Michael Lazarou, Christa George, David Thorburn, Michael Ryan

(2011), Vol. 414, pp. 413-426, Journal of molecular biology, London, Eng., C1-1

journal article

Mutations in MTFMT underlie a human disorder of formylation causing impaired mitochondrial translation

Elena Tucker, Steven Hershman, Caroline Köhrer, Casey Belcher-Timme, Jinal Patel, Olga Goldberger, John Christodoulou, Jonathon Silberstein, Matthew McKenzie, Michael Ryan, Alison Compton, Jacob Jaffe, Steven Carr, Sarah Calvo, Uttam RajBhandary, David Thorburn, Vamsi Mootha

(2011), Vol. 14, pp. 428-434, Cell metabolism, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1

journal article

Funded Projects at Deakin

Other Public Sector Funding

The battle of tumours: growth kinetics and competition of DFT1 and DFT2

A/Prof Beata Ujvari, Dr Aaron Schultz, Dr Matthew McKenzie

DPIPWE Dr Eric Guiler Tasmanian Devil Research Grant

  • 2021: $25,000

Virulence determinants of Henipaviruses.

Dr Matthew McKenzie, Dr Vinod Sundaramoorthy, Ms Emily Dowling

CSIRO Scholarship - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

  • 2024: $10,000

Industry and Other Funding

Investigating how primary defects in Short-Chain Enoyl-CoA Hydratase 1 cause secondary defects in oxidative phosphorylation

Dr Matthew McKenzie, Mr Harrison Burgin

Mito Foundation

  • 2022: $1,500
  • 2021: $3,000
  • 2020: $3,000
  • 2019: $3,000

Stimulating Mitochondrial Biogenesis to Treat Mitochondrial Disease

Dr Matthew McKenzie

Mito Foundation Booster Grant

  • 2023: $75,000

The metastatic paradox of transmissible cancers

A/Prof Beata Ujvari, Dr Matthew McKenzie, Dr Musa Mammadov, A/Prof Julien Ugon

University of Tasmania - Tasmanian Devil Grant 2023

  • 2024: $49,700

Supervisions

Principal Supervisor
2023

Harrison Burgin

Thesis entitled: Primary defects in ECHS1 cause mitochondrial OXPHOS defects

Doctor of Philosophy (Life & Env), School of Life and Environmental Sciences

Associate Supervisor
2022

Eve Udino

Thesis entitled: Acoustic Developmental Programming of Behavioural and Physiological Responses to Heat

Doctor of Philosophy (Life & Env), School of Life and Environmental Sciences