
Research Themes
Unlocking Life’s Mysteries
Unlocking the complexity and immense interconnectedness of the scientific mechanisms which dictate the properties and processes of the natural world is a major goal of my research. To this end, I seek to acquire a detailed understanding of many systems and how these various systems function together to generate the observations and measurements from my experimentation. Have a look at some of my projects below.

3D Genome
The three-dimensional (3D) genome architecture is crucial for a cell’s function and life-long fate, as it regulates which genes are expressed in the cell. We study study how this 3D cross-talk between genes is disrupted in pancreatic islets. In the long term, we plan to use this knowledge to develop new therapeutics to ‘rewire’ the 3D gene contacts and prevent the development of diabetes.

Climate Change and Bushfires
The summer of 2019/20 saw record breaking bushfires that some have dubbed the “black summer”. More than 10 million hectares of the local environment was devastated and around 3,000 homes were lost. Canberra had the worst air quality in the world this January. Amongst all of this, a new generation of Australians are being brought into the world. A healthy start to life is important for long term health and wellbeing. Through this study, we are exploring how has the health of mothers and babies in the ACT and South-Eastern NSW been impacted by these 2020 events.

COVID-19 and maternal-child health
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded across the globe, certain regions experienced the consequences of the bushfires and the developing pandemic in close succession. For example, eastern Australia (bushfires, followed by COVID-19) and western USA (COVID-19, followed by wildfires) are regions where back-to-back crises left little time for recovery. We are exploring the compounding effects of COVID-19 and bushfires on mothers and children in ACT and SE-NSW in Australia.

Type 1 diabetes, kidney disease and epigenetics
A collaborative study with JDRF Research Leaders Group. Using contemporary molecular techniques, we are investigating the role of epigenetic modifications in the development and progression of kidney disease in type 1 diabetes.
Prospective Honours, Masters, PhD students get in touch to discuss research projects.