Venkateswar Addala
Dr | Research Officer
+61 7 3845 3966Venkateswar.Addala@qimrberghofer.edu.au
CAREER HISTORY
Received PhD from The University of Queensland in 2020, My research addressed the challenges related to key genomic components in tumour-immune editing variation in cancers with poor survival and predicting the responses to cancer immunotherapies.
Worked as Computational Biologist and Senior Scientific Officer from 2013-2016, in cancer genomics company that focus on implementing personalised medicine in treatment decisions.
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS
2020-current: Research Officer
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
2013-2016: Computation Biologist & Senior Scientific Officer, Positive Bioscience Ltd., Mumbai, India
2012-2013: Research Assistant, Institute of Genetics and Hospital for Genetic Diseases, Hyderabad, India
ORCID NUMBER
RESEARCHER ID
CURRENT AREA OF RESEARCH
Characterising genetic determinants underlying response and resistance to cancer immunotherapy. Through whole genome and RNA sequencing, we identify tumor specific neoantigens that can elicit T-cell responses in cancers. Through established Immunogenomics analysis on different cancer types, we aim to explore the genomics of tumor cells and the properties of immune cells in the tumour microenvironment. Through further research we uncover how tumours may prevent immune attack and why. We seek to better understand the tumour microenvironment and how it may contribute towards tumour growth. Lastly, we can uncover new techniques in patient screening to see who would benefit most from immunotherapies during the treatment of their disease.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
In my PhD I established cancer immunogenomics analysis pipeline, to understand tumour heterogeneity in intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms across cancer types. This work extends knowledge and lays the foundation that is required in order to successfully establish computational methods that can be used to predict patient immunotherapy responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2020-Current: Member of European Society for Molecular Oncology (ESMO)
2018-Current: Member of American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
2018-2020: Brisbane Ambassador – European Association for Cancer Research (EACR).
2018-2020: Brisbane representative for Computational Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics network (COMBINE)
AWARDS RECOGNITION
2019: QIMR Berghofer Student travel award – 2019
2018: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute PhD Top-up Scholarship
2017: La Jolla Institute for immunology travel award for IEDB Neoantigen prediction algorithms workshop at NIH- NIARD
2016-2020: The University of Queensland International Scholarship
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2020: PhD, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland
2012: MSc, Bioinformatics & Biotechnology, SRM University