About
I am fascinated by how cells balance nutrient supply with their
bioenergetic demands. This interplay between cellular signalling and metabolism is at the heart of many chronic diseases we face today, including diabetes (nutrient oversupply) and cancer (high demand).
My passion for this area began with my PhD with Professor Andrew Brown at UNSW (2009-2012), where I studied how the feedback from cholesterol metabolism to gene transcription is turned off in prostate cancer. This allows cells to accumulate cholesterol, an emerging pharmacological target for this disease. I then worked with one of Australia’s leading diabetes researchers,
Professor David James at USyd (2013-2019), initially as a junior post-doc and subsequently funded by competitive fellowships. I examined how insulin regulates glucose metabolism, and the converse, in adipocytes (fat cell). These experiences allowed me to specialise in molecular metabolism, the intersection of molecular cell biology, systems biology, and metabolic biochemistry, to understand how cells balance metabolic supply and demand.
At QIMR Berghofer, I have worked in organoid bioengineering (Professor James Hudson, a pioneer in cardiac organoid technology) and immune tolerance (Associate Professor Severine Navarro, who discovered a novel biologic that prevents the onset of allergy).
My current research combines these experiences, with the ultimate goal of developing advanced in vitro models that recapitulate the three-dimensional, multicellular complexity of adipose tissue. This interdisciplinary approach addresses a key bottleneck in understanding the role of adipose tissue in prevalent metabolic conditions such as (1) type 2 diabetes and (2) weight regain that frequently occurs after weight-loss regimes, which
has recently been linked to the ‘obesogenic memory’ imprinted on adipocytes and immune cells within the adipose tissue.
Current Appointments
- Senior Research Officer, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
- Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology
Previous Appointments
- 2014-2019: Research Fellow, Charles Perkins Centre and the University of Sydney
- 2013: Research Officer, Garvin Institute of Medical Research
- 2013: Research Associate, School of Biochemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales
- 2008-2012: Casual academic, School of Biochemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales
Awards Recognition
- 2018: Australian Diabetes Society Skip Martin Early Career Fellow
- 2014-2017: NHMRC Early Career Fellow
- 2011: UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence
- 2010: Faculty of Science Award for Teaching Excellence
Educational Background
- 2012: Doctor of Philosophy (Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics), The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- 2008: Bachelor of Science (Hons I, University Medal), majoring in Molecular Biology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia