Opening Address
Ms Nadia Rosin
CEO, Head and Neck Cancer Australia, Sydney
Nadia was part of a dedicated team to launch Australia's first national Head and Neck Cancer charity in 2016 and is its inaugural CEO. She has more than 15 years experience working across the not for profit sector and NSW State Government in marketing and communications and was privileged to work for the late Head and Neck Cancer Surgeon, Professor Chris O'Brien.
Nadia is passionate about growing a united Head and Neck Cancer community across Australia and working collaboratively to improve the lives of people living with Head and Neck Cancer and raising awareness nationally to increase early diagnosis and encourage prevention.
Nadia helped secure the first Federal Government grant in 2022 to support people living with Head and Neck Cancer and to organise the first Head and Neck Cancer Parliamentary Event in March 2023 helping to give people in the Head and Neck Cancer community a voice.
CEO, Head and Neck Cancer Australia, Sydney
Nadia was part of a dedicated team to launch Australia's first national Head and Neck Cancer charity in 2016 and is its inaugural CEO. She has more than 15 years experience working across the not for profit sector and NSW State Government in marketing and communications and was privileged to work for the late Head and Neck Cancer Surgeon, Professor Chris O'Brien.
Nadia is passionate about growing a united Head and Neck Cancer community across Australia and working collaboratively to improve the lives of people living with Head and Neck Cancer and raising awareness nationally to increase early diagnosis and encourage prevention.
Nadia helped secure the first Federal Government grant in 2022 to support people living with Head and Neck Cancer and to organise the first Head and Neck Cancer Parliamentary Event in March 2023 helping to give people in the Head and Neck Cancer community a voice.
Keynote Speakers
Professor Klaus Pantel, MD
Institute of Tumor biology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf,
Germany
Prof. Dr. Klaus Pantel is Director of the Institute of Tumor Biology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. The Institute is part of the Center for Experimental Medicine and the University Cancer Center (UCCH). Prof. Pantel graduated from the University of Cologne in 1986 and completed his dissertation in 1987 in the field of mathematical models of hematopoiesis. After his postdoctoral training in the USA at Wayne State University, Detroit, where he conducted research on hematopoietic stem cell regulation, he spent 10 years at the Institute of Immunology at the University of Munich, where he habilitated in 1995 in the field of experimental immunology and immunotherapies.
Prof. Pantel's pioneering work in the field of micrometastasis and liquid biopsy (analysis of tumor components in the blood, e.g. circulating tumor cells and circulating nucleic acids (ctDNA, microRNAs)) of solid tumors is reflected in more than 600 publications (h-factor 145) in excellent high-ranking biomedical and scientific journals (incl. NEJM, Lancet, Nature Journals, Cancer Cell, Science Translational Medicine, Cancer Discovery, PNAS, JCO, JNCI, Cancer Res.).
His research work has been recognized by the AACR Outstanding Investigator Award 2010, the German Cancer Award 2010, and four ERC Grants, among others. He is the Founder and current President of the European Liquid Biopsy Society (www.elbs.eu) and the Scientific Coordinator/Lead-PI of the EU consortia PANCAID (https://pancaid-project.eu/) and GUIDE-MRD.
Professor Catherine Alix-Panabières, PhD
Laboratoire de Cellules Circulantes Humaines Rares et Biopsie Liquide, University of Montpellier, France
Catherine Alix-Panabières is a Professor of Oncology and the Director of the ‘Laboratoire de Cellules Circulantes Humaines Rares et Biopsie Liquide’ (LCCRH) at Montpellier University Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine. Since 2022, she has also held the position of Professor at the University of Hamburg in Germany. A specialist in circulating tumor cell (CTC) research for 25 years, she is credited with coining the term "liquid biopsy" in 2010, in collaboration with Prof. Pantel. Professor Alix-Panabières instructs students in this subject at academic institutions in France and abroad, has organized numerous international conferences, has published over 150 scientific articles and numerous chapters in books and encyclopedias, has filed three patents and has collaborated on numerous European, American, and Asian research projects. Her most significant contribution is the demonstration of the clinical utility of CTCs in breast cancer. She has been the recipient of numerous accolades in France and abroad, including the "Gallet et Breton" prize in 2012 and the "Berthe Péan, Antoine et Claude Béclère" prize in 2023, bestowed by the Académie Nationale de Médecine. In 2022, she played a pivotal role in the cancer exhibition at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (Paris), which was curated by Pr Eychène of INCa. Furthermore, the esteemed journal Nature, in its December 2020 issue, acknowledged the significance of liquid biopsy as a pivotal advancement in cancer research over the past two decades and showcased the contributions of Prof. Alix-Panabières throughout her career.
Laboratoire de Cellules Circulantes Humaines Rares et Biopsie Liquide, University of Montpellier, France
Catherine Alix-Panabières is a Professor of Oncology and the Director of the ‘Laboratoire de Cellules Circulantes Humaines Rares et Biopsie Liquide’ (LCCRH) at Montpellier University Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine. Since 2022, she has also held the position of Professor at the University of Hamburg in Germany. A specialist in circulating tumor cell (CTC) research for 25 years, she is credited with coining the term "liquid biopsy" in 2010, in collaboration with Prof. Pantel. Professor Alix-Panabières instructs students in this subject at academic institutions in France and abroad, has organized numerous international conferences, has published over 150 scientific articles and numerous chapters in books and encyclopedias, has filed three patents and has collaborated on numerous European, American, and Asian research projects. Her most significant contribution is the demonstration of the clinical utility of CTCs in breast cancer. She has been the recipient of numerous accolades in France and abroad, including the "Gallet et Breton" prize in 2012 and the "Berthe Péan, Antoine et Claude Béclère" prize in 2023, bestowed by the Académie Nationale de Médecine. In 2022, she played a pivotal role in the cancer exhibition at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (Paris), which was curated by Pr Eychène of INCa. Furthermore, the esteemed journal Nature, in its December 2020 issue, acknowledged the significance of liquid biopsy as a pivotal advancement in cancer research over the past two decades and showcased the contributions of Prof. Alix-Panabières throughout her career.
Professor Ellen Heitzer, PhD
Institute for Human Genetics, Diagnostic & Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, AUSTRIA
Ellen Heitzer works at the Institute for Human Genetics in Graz, AUSTRIA, where she is heading the Research Unit for “Liquid Biopsies for personalized medicine in cancer”. in 2022 she was appointed Professor for Liquid Biopsies. Professor Heitzer is particularly interested in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and in cell-free ctDNA and her group has developed and applied a set of techniques for the analysis of ctDNA to non-invasively investigate tumor evolution or use ctDNA as a response marker. Her expertise has been recognized internationally, which is reflected by the invitations to international congresses or reviews and book chapters in international journals. As part of the EU (IMI) funded Cancer-ID consortium she led the "ctDNA Working Group" and made important contributions to the standardization of liquid biopsy methods. As a steering committee member of the European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS) she advocates for the standardization and guidelines of LB approaches to enable a widespread clinical use. As an EU registered Clinical Laboratory Geneticist and head of the molecular genetics branch of the D&F Institute for Human Genetics, Prof. Heitzer is also involved in routine diagnostics of hereditary diseases with a special focus on familial tumor syndromes. Moreover, she is driving the continuous development and implementation of molecular genetic methods, in particular next generation sequencing.
Institute for Human Genetics, Diagnostic & Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, AUSTRIA
Ellen Heitzer works at the Institute for Human Genetics in Graz, AUSTRIA, where she is heading the Research Unit for “Liquid Biopsies for personalized medicine in cancer”. in 2022 she was appointed Professor for Liquid Biopsies. Professor Heitzer is particularly interested in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and in cell-free ctDNA and her group has developed and applied a set of techniques for the analysis of ctDNA to non-invasively investigate tumor evolution or use ctDNA as a response marker. Her expertise has been recognized internationally, which is reflected by the invitations to international congresses or reviews and book chapters in international journals. As part of the EU (IMI) funded Cancer-ID consortium she led the "ctDNA Working Group" and made important contributions to the standardization of liquid biopsy methods. As a steering committee member of the European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS) she advocates for the standardization and guidelines of LB approaches to enable a widespread clinical use. As an EU registered Clinical Laboratory Geneticist and head of the molecular genetics branch of the D&F Institute for Human Genetics, Prof. Heitzer is also involved in routine diagnostics of hereditary diseases with a special focus on familial tumor syndromes. Moreover, she is driving the continuous development and implementation of molecular genetic methods, in particular next generation sequencing.
Professor Sarah-Jane Dawson, MBBS, FRACP, PhD
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia
Professor Sarah-Jane Dawson is a clinician-scientist focused on translational cancer research. She is co-lead of the Cancer Therapeutics Program and head of the Molecular Biomarkers and Translational Genomics Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne Australia. Professor Dawson also holds a joint appointment with the Centre of Cancer Research at The University of Melbourne and is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Her research program centers on the development of noninvasive blood-based biomarkers ('liquid biopsies') for clinical application, including early detection, risk stratification and disease monitoring in cancer management to improve patient outcomes.
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia
Professor Sarah-Jane Dawson is a clinician-scientist focused on translational cancer research. She is co-lead of the Cancer Therapeutics Program and head of the Molecular Biomarkers and Translational Genomics Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne Australia. Professor Dawson also holds a joint appointment with the Centre of Cancer Research at The University of Melbourne and is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Her research program centers on the development of noninvasive blood-based biomarkers ('liquid biopsies') for clinical application, including early detection, risk stratification and disease monitoring in cancer management to improve patient outcomes.
Dr Malinda Itchins, BMed Sci; MBBS(Hons1); FRACP; PhD
Chris O'Brien Lifehouse & Royal North Shore Hospital, Australia
Dr Malinda Itchins is a Thoracic Medical Oncologist at Royal North Shore Hospital and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Sydney. She is co-chair of the advanced NSCLC lung cancer scientific committee for the Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia (TOGA) and Board Director and Lung Cancer Chair with the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA). Dr Itchins is Primary Investigator on numerous Industry and Investigator Initiated thoracic cancer clinical trials and has published many peer review articles in lung cancer. She sits on Government and Industry Advisory Boards in lung cancer and was awarded her PhD in 2020 investigating drug resistance in ALK+ NSCLC, preclinically and clinically. Dr Itchins is a Clinical Lecturer with the University of Sydney, and is passionate about personalised and equitable access to care for people with thoracic cancers (and beyond).
Chris O'Brien Lifehouse & Royal North Shore Hospital, Australia
Dr Malinda Itchins is a Thoracic Medical Oncologist at Royal North Shore Hospital and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Sydney. She is co-chair of the advanced NSCLC lung cancer scientific committee for the Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia (TOGA) and Board Director and Lung Cancer Chair with the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA). Dr Itchins is Primary Investigator on numerous Industry and Investigator Initiated thoracic cancer clinical trials and has published many peer review articles in lung cancer. She sits on Government and Industry Advisory Boards in lung cancer and was awarded her PhD in 2020 investigating drug resistance in ALK+ NSCLC, preclinically and clinically. Dr Itchins is a Clinical Lecturer with the University of Sydney, and is passionate about personalised and equitable access to care for people with thoracic cancers (and beyond).
International & National Invited Speakers
Dr Lauren Aoude
University of Queensland (UQ) Frazer Institute
Dr Lauren Aoude is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership (EL2) Fellow at the University of Queensland (UQ) Frazer Institute. She has extensive experience in cancer genetics and genomics. As a Research Leader, Lauren’s research primarily focuses on ways to better predict treatment responses and outcomes for patients with cancer, particularly melanoma and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Her research integrates genomic sequencing data from both tumours and circulating tumour DNA with clinical, pathological and imaging information. The results of her research will inform treatment decisions and improve health outcomes for patients through the integration of genomics into the clinic.
In 2014, based at QIMR Berghofer, Dr Lauren Aoude was awarded a PhD in melanoma genetics from the University of Queensland. Her research incorporated large scale genetic sequencing projects that comprehensively characterised the genetics of melanoma and identified novel genetic drivers of cancer. She was awarded an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (2016-2021) to investigate precision medicine for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Upon its completion, she was awarded a UQ Amplify fellowship (2021-2023).
University of Queensland (UQ) Frazer Institute
Dr Lauren Aoude is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership (EL2) Fellow at the University of Queensland (UQ) Frazer Institute. She has extensive experience in cancer genetics and genomics. As a Research Leader, Lauren’s research primarily focuses on ways to better predict treatment responses and outcomes for patients with cancer, particularly melanoma and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Her research integrates genomic sequencing data from both tumours and circulating tumour DNA with clinical, pathological and imaging information. The results of her research will inform treatment decisions and improve health outcomes for patients through the integration of genomics into the clinic.
In 2014, based at QIMR Berghofer, Dr Lauren Aoude was awarded a PhD in melanoma genetics from the University of Queensland. Her research incorporated large scale genetic sequencing projects that comprehensively characterised the genetics of melanoma and identified novel genetic drivers of cancer. She was awarded an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (2016-2021) to investigate precision medicine for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Upon its completion, she was awarded a UQ Amplify fellowship (2021-2023).
Dr Robert Day
Biochemistry Department, The University of Otago, NZ
Dr Day a Senior Research Fellow in the Biochemistry Department at the University of Otago and is a keen advocate for the applied use of genomics-based technologies in medicine. He established short read ctDNA sequencing pipelines at Otago as part of the first Healthier Lives Initiative in 2015 and his subsequent independent research has aimed to overcome both technical and strategic hurdles to provide more effective and accessible cancer diagnostics. The team is currently focused on developing multi-modal assays using circulating DNA on the portable Oxford Nanopore Technology devices.
Biochemistry Department, The University of Otago, NZ
Dr Day a Senior Research Fellow in the Biochemistry Department at the University of Otago and is a keen advocate for the applied use of genomics-based technologies in medicine. He established short read ctDNA sequencing pipelines at Otago as part of the first Healthier Lives Initiative in 2015 and his subsequent independent research has aimed to overcome both technical and strategic hurdles to provide more effective and accessible cancer diagnostics. The team is currently focused on developing multi-modal assays using circulating DNA on the portable Oxford Nanopore Technology devices.
Professor Sudha Rao,
Senior Group Leader, Gene Regulation & Translational Medicine Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer
Professor Sudha Rao has extensive experience in transcriptional biology and genomic technologies that spans both pharmaceutical and academic settings. The primary focus of Professor Rao’s research group has been to unravel complex epigenetic-signatures in the immune system, as well as to understand the deregulatory mechanisms operating in cancer settings. She obtained her BSC (Hons.) degree at Keele University, UK and PhD from the University of London, Kings College. At this time, she joined a team of scientists at Rhone Poulenc/Sanofi Pharma, both in UK and France. During this period, she was part of one of the first groups world-wide to establish the clinical genomics platform for therapeutics in the UK. Professor Rao currents heads the Gene Regulation & Translational Medicine laboratory at QIMRB and was recently the recipient of the MTP REDI Fellowship & the inaugural Daniela Dwyer Fellowship. Professor Rao has developed close partnerships with global technology companies and established novel liquid biopsy clinical platforms, first of its kind in Asia, for non-invasive tracking of blood samples from cancer patients. She has attracted highly competitive NHMRC, ARC and commercial funding to advance her cancer work. Professor Rao’s work has yielded national and international patents for both novel diagnostics and therapeutics in the emerging arena of immune-oncology and this work has great potential for cancer patients.
Senior Group Leader, Gene Regulation & Translational Medicine Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer
Professor Sudha Rao has extensive experience in transcriptional biology and genomic technologies that spans both pharmaceutical and academic settings. The primary focus of Professor Rao’s research group has been to unravel complex epigenetic-signatures in the immune system, as well as to understand the deregulatory mechanisms operating in cancer settings. She obtained her BSC (Hons.) degree at Keele University, UK and PhD from the University of London, Kings College. At this time, she joined a team of scientists at Rhone Poulenc/Sanofi Pharma, both in UK and France. During this period, she was part of one of the first groups world-wide to establish the clinical genomics platform for therapeutics in the UK. Professor Rao currents heads the Gene Regulation & Translational Medicine laboratory at QIMRB and was recently the recipient of the MTP REDI Fellowship & the inaugural Daniela Dwyer Fellowship. Professor Rao has developed close partnerships with global technology companies and established novel liquid biopsy clinical platforms, first of its kind in Asia, for non-invasive tracking of blood samples from cancer patients. She has attracted highly competitive NHMRC, ARC and commercial funding to advance her cancer work. Professor Rao’s work has yielded national and international patents for both novel diagnostics and therapeutics in the emerging arena of immune-oncology and this work has great potential for cancer patients.
Professor Majid Warkiani
School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney
Dr. Warkiani is a Professor and Cancer Institute NSW Fellow in the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia. He earned his PhD in Engineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore and completed postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA. Dr. Warkiani is the co-director of the Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD) at UTS and co-founder of two Australian biotech companies, NeoGenix Biosciences and SMART MCs. Dr. Warkiani's research focuses on microfluidic technologies, specifically for isolating and analyzing rare cells such as circulating tumor cells, fetal cells, and stem cells. His work has applications in diagnostics and therapeutics. Additionally, he develops organ-on-a-chip systems to model the physiological functions of various tissues and organs. Group webpage: www.warkianilab.com
School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney
Dr. Warkiani is a Professor and Cancer Institute NSW Fellow in the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia. He earned his PhD in Engineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore and completed postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA. Dr. Warkiani is the co-director of the Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD) at UTS and co-founder of two Australian biotech companies, NeoGenix Biosciences and SMART MCs. Dr. Warkiani's research focuses on microfluidic technologies, specifically for isolating and analyzing rare cells such as circulating tumor cells, fetal cells, and stem cells. His work has applications in diagnostics and therapeutics. Additionally, he develops organ-on-a-chip systems to model the physiological functions of various tissues and organs. Group webpage: www.warkianilab.com
Dr Ann-Katrin Piper
Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong
Dr Piper completed her undergraduate training (BSc and MSc, Biology) in Germany at the University of Hamburg and Oldenburg respectively. Dr Piper moved to Australia and completed her PhD at the University of Sydney, where she focused on the enzymatic cleavage of ferlins and their role in membrane repair and cancer. She graduated in 2018 and has since been working as a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Wollongong, Australia using circulating tumour cell lines as a tool to study the cancer cell metastasis. In 2021 Dr Piper worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany where she established zebrafish embryos as a model system for in vivo metastasis research. She has since started her own zebrafish facility in Wollongong and is interested in using zebrafish embryo xenografts to decipher the role of ion channels during the metastatic process. In addition to being a passionate scientist, Dr Piper is also a devoted mother of three young children. She enjoys the challenge of organising her family life while also accelerating her research career.
Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong
Dr Piper completed her undergraduate training (BSc and MSc, Biology) in Germany at the University of Hamburg and Oldenburg respectively. Dr Piper moved to Australia and completed her PhD at the University of Sydney, where she focused on the enzymatic cleavage of ferlins and their role in membrane repair and cancer. She graduated in 2018 and has since been working as a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Wollongong, Australia using circulating tumour cell lines as a tool to study the cancer cell metastasis. In 2021 Dr Piper worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany where she established zebrafish embryos as a model system for in vivo metastasis research. She has since started her own zebrafish facility in Wollongong and is interested in using zebrafish embryo xenografts to decipher the role of ion channels during the metastatic process. In addition to being a passionate scientist, Dr Piper is also a devoted mother of three young children. She enjoys the challenge of organising her family life while also accelerating her research career.
Professor Carlos Salomon
UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, UQCCR
Professor Carlos Salomon (PhD, DMedSc, MSc, BSc (Hons) is the Director of the UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, Head of the Translational Extracellular Vesicles (EV) in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, NHMRC Investigator Fellow (EL2) and a worldwide authority on EV biomarkers (>170 publications, H index 56, i10-index = 131, >13,000 citations). In the last 10 years, Professor Salomon’s primary research and commercialisation activities have focused on the identification and validation of biomarkers, and development of In Vitro Multivariate Index Assays for clinically relevant complications (including ovarian cancers, and obstetrical syndromes) and their translation into clinical applications. He is a pioneer on investigation the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by the placenta and tumour cells and their utility as a biomarker for a wide range of pregnancy complications and ovarian cancer (OC). These outcomes of the research program provide a novel conceptual basis, and evidence for translation, resulting in changes in clinical practice and management.
UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, UQCCR
Professor Carlos Salomon (PhD, DMedSc, MSc, BSc (Hons) is the Director of the UQ Centre for Extracellular Vesicle Nanomedicine, Head of the Translational Extracellular Vesicles (EV) in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, NHMRC Investigator Fellow (EL2) and a worldwide authority on EV biomarkers (>170 publications, H index 56, i10-index = 131, >13,000 citations). In the last 10 years, Professor Salomon’s primary research and commercialisation activities have focused on the identification and validation of biomarkers, and development of In Vitro Multivariate Index Assays for clinically relevant complications (including ovarian cancers, and obstetrical syndromes) and their translation into clinical applications. He is a pioneer on investigation the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by the placenta and tumour cells and their utility as a biomarker for a wide range of pregnancy complications and ovarian cancer (OC). These outcomes of the research program provide a novel conceptual basis, and evidence for translation, resulting in changes in clinical practice and management.
Dr John Lock
School of Biomedical Sciences, UNSW
Dr John Lock leads the Cancer Systems Microscopy lab at UNSW, with a focus on quantitative imaging-based analyses of cell phenotype heterogeneity arising in disease, during fundamental processes such as cell state plasticity (e.g. EMT / MET), and in response to chemical perturbations as part of drug discovery screening. These research foci build on John’s pioneering role in the development of imaging-based single cell systems biology, or Systems Microscopy, at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm as a postdoc, where he studied cell adhesion, migration and mitosis. This followed his PhD at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, where he explored the dynamical regulation of protein trafficking during cell polarisation and immune cell activation.
School of Biomedical Sciences, UNSW
Dr John Lock leads the Cancer Systems Microscopy lab at UNSW, with a focus on quantitative imaging-based analyses of cell phenotype heterogeneity arising in disease, during fundamental processes such as cell state plasticity (e.g. EMT / MET), and in response to chemical perturbations as part of drug discovery screening. These research foci build on John’s pioneering role in the development of imaging-based single cell systems biology, or Systems Microscopy, at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm as a postdoc, where he studied cell adhesion, migration and mitosis. This followed his PhD at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, where he explored the dynamical regulation of protein trafficking during cell polarisation and immune cell activation.
Dr Lesley Cheng
La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University
Dr. Lesley Cheng is presently the Group Leader of the Neurodegeneration EV Biomarkers and Biology Lab at the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University. Currently, her major focus is to develop a minimally invasive blood test for the early detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. She has developed a stream-lined biomarker platform that uses next-generation sequencing to profile small RNA molecules extracted from extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from biological fluids or tissues. Her lab uses this platform to identify various small RNA biomarkers for translational and commercial potential including applying this knowledge to understanding the role of EVs in disease pathology. She was awarded a Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours and a PhD from Monash University. She is Deputy Director of the Research Centre of Extracellular Vesicles, La Trobe University and Principal Scientist at Carrier Biomed, China. She presented at TEDx Melbourne about her breakthrough work and her take on the ‘21st Century Innovator’.
La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University
Dr. Lesley Cheng is presently the Group Leader of the Neurodegeneration EV Biomarkers and Biology Lab at the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University. Currently, her major focus is to develop a minimally invasive blood test for the early detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. She has developed a stream-lined biomarker platform that uses next-generation sequencing to profile small RNA molecules extracted from extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from biological fluids or tissues. Her lab uses this platform to identify various small RNA biomarkers for translational and commercial potential including applying this knowledge to understanding the role of EVs in disease pathology. She was awarded a Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours and a PhD from Monash University. She is Deputy Director of the Research Centre of Extracellular Vesicles, La Trobe University and Principal Scientist at Carrier Biomed, China. She presented at TEDx Melbourne about her breakthrough work and her take on the ‘21st Century Innovator’.
Associate Professor Paul Leo
Australian Translational Genomics Center (ATGC), Princess Alexandria Hospital
Dr Leo is a Principal Research Fellow and Senior Bioinformatician, he is deputy director of the Australian Translational Genomics Center (ATGC). ATGC is located within the Princess Alexandria Hospital (PA) and provides clinical sequencing for cancer patients at Metro South Hospitals in Brisbane and the only Queensland laboratory to supporting the MoST and PrOSPeCT clinical trials. A/Prof Leo’s research areas included Cancer Immunology, discovery of disease-causing genes using GWAS and NGS sequencing.
Australian Translational Genomics Center (ATGC), Princess Alexandria Hospital
Dr Leo is a Principal Research Fellow and Senior Bioinformatician, he is deputy director of the Australian Translational Genomics Center (ATGC). ATGC is located within the Princess Alexandria Hospital (PA) and provides clinical sequencing for cancer patients at Metro South Hospitals in Brisbane and the only Queensland laboratory to supporting the MoST and PrOSPeCT clinical trials. A/Prof Leo’s research areas included Cancer Immunology, discovery of disease-causing genes using GWAS and NGS sequencing.
Selected Speakers
Dr Anders Skanderup, Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Agency for Science, Technology & Research, SG
Mr Sanjeev K. Adhikari, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, WA
Professor Hyun Woo (Henry) Park, Dept of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, ROK
Dr Sareh Zhand, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW
Dr Darren Korbie, Centre for Personalized NanoMedicine, The University of Queensland, QLD
Associate Professor Jason Lee, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, TRI, QLD
Mr Waqar Ahmed Afridi, Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics (IBG), Griffith University, QLD
Associate Professor Clare Stirzaker, Cancer Ecosystems, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, NSW
Associate Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand
Dr Jean M Winter, Centre for Innovation in Cancer, Flinders University, SA
Dr Wenhan Chen, Children’s Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, NSW
Dr Anders Skanderup, Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Agency for Science, Technology & Research, SG
Mr Sanjeev K. Adhikari, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, WA
Professor Hyun Woo (Henry) Park, Dept of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, ROK
Dr Sareh Zhand, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW
Dr Darren Korbie, Centre for Personalized NanoMedicine, The University of Queensland, QLD
Associate Professor Jason Lee, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, TRI, QLD
Mr Waqar Ahmed Afridi, Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics (IBG), Griffith University, QLD
Associate Professor Clare Stirzaker, Cancer Ecosystems, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, NSW
Associate Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand
Dr Jean M Winter, Centre for Innovation in Cancer, Flinders University, SA
Dr Wenhan Chen, Children’s Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW, NSW
Industry Speakers
Dr Darryl Irwin, Vice President – Global Marketing and Scientific Affairs, Agena Biosciences
Dr Chee Yang Lee, Senior FAS, Diagnostics and Genomics Group, South Asia Pacific, Agilent Technologies)
Dr. Aarti Gokhale, Senior Manager - Gene Reading APAC at Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT)
Mr Joel Geoghegan, Bioinformatician-Team Leader Oncology (Asia Pacific Japan), Illumina
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