About
Dr Zacchi is the Manager of the Centre for Tropical Health and Emerging Diseases at QIMR Berghofer.
Lucia brings over 25 years of experience in R&D in a variety of fields, including Microbiology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Genetic Engineering, Antibody Discovery and Characterisation, Yeast, and Mass Spectrometry Proteomics. With 15 years of experience in translational research, Dr Zacchi also brings expertise in grant management, technology transfer, research commercialisation, and investment funding through her work with UniQuest and UQ’s Research Office, and her participation in the UEF Observer Program. Through her experience working closely with biotechnology industry and the QLD government, Dr Zacchi also brings extensive stakeholder engagement and communication expertise.
Dr Zacchi co-founded and was R&D team leader of Cassowary Pharma, a spin-out from The University of Queensland (UQ) developing novel pain therapies. She was also Lecturer of Biotechnology at UQ, where she Led the Antibody Technologies Group and lectured on Biologics and Biomanufacturing.
Dr Zacchi graduated as Microbiologist (Honours) from Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Argentina and obtained her Ph.D. in Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology from the University of Minnesota, USA. She did post-doctoral work at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, Fundación Instituto Leloir, Argentina, and the ARC Training Centre for Biopharmaceutical Innovation (AIBN, UQ).
Dr Zacchi has received numerous awards, including Fellowships from the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, CONICET-Argentina, Endeavour-Australia, and The University of Queensland; as well as a Fulbright Scholarship.
Area of Interest
- Antibody discovery and Development
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics