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 Prof. 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, Prof. 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.
These experiences allowed me to specialise in molecular metabolism, the intersection of molecular cell biology, systems biology, and metabolic biochemistry. For the latter, I use a combination of metabolomics, metabolic labelling (with stable and radioisotopes), and respirometry to comprehensively assess a cell’s metabolic phenotype. This enables me to understand how cells balance metabolic supply and demand, which I am currently applying to the areas of diabetes and immune tolerance.
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