Researchers
Background:
I completed my undergraduate degree in Biotechnology at the University of Queensland in 2007, where I achieved First Class Honours. During my Honours year I undertook research in the Fairlie Group lab at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), where the focus of my research was on Protease Activated Receptor-2 (PAR-2). My research involved evaluating novel PAR-2 agonists/antagonists synthesised within the Fairlie group for potency and selectivity; and also involved elucidating the role of PAR-2 in inflammation and proliferation at the cellular level. After graduating I took a year off to travel the globe before returning to the IMB this year to work as a research assistant. My research now focuses on looking at novel drugs (which target various receptors/enzymes particularly GPCRs) in in vivo models of both acute and chronic inflammation including paw oedema, pancreatitis, colitis and arthritis models.
The IMB has been an ideal place to perform scientific research both as an honours student and as a research assistant due to its reputation and facilities. Within the Fairlie Group itself, the drawcard has been the groups’ great diversity of expertise, the cooperative nature of the research being conducted and more personally, the ability learn a vast array of new techniques both in molecular and in vivo pharmacology.
In the future I wish to continue investigating the role of several drug targets, particularly PAR-2, to provide a better understanding of these targets in physiology and disease and also to assist in developing new drug leads for potential therapeutic use.
Research Interests:
* Protease Activated Receptor-2: elucidating the role of PAR-2 in physiology and disease both at the in vitro and in vivo level
* Evaluating new drug leads for potential therapeutic use in inflammatory diseases and cancers - including GPCR agonist/antagonists, PLA2 inhibitors, HDAC inhibitors
* Histological analysis from acute and chronic inflammatory models in rodents
* Pharmacokinetics of novel drugs.
The IMB has been an ideal place to perform scientific research both as an honours student and as a research assistant due to its reputation and facilities. Within the Fairlie Group itself, the drawcard has been the groups’ great diversity of expertise, the cooperative nature of the research being conducted and more personally, the ability learn a vast array of new techniques both in molecular and in vivo pharmacology.
In the future I wish to continue investigating the role of several drug targets, particularly PAR-2, to provide a better understanding of these targets in physiology and disease and also to assist in developing new drug leads for potential therapeutic use.
Research Interests:
* Protease Activated Receptor-2: elucidating the role of PAR-2 in physiology and disease both at the in vitro and in vivo level
* Evaluating new drug leads for potential therapeutic use in inflammatory diseases and cancers - including GPCR agonist/antagonists, PLA2 inhibitors, HDAC inhibitors
* Histological analysis from acute and chronic inflammatory models in rodents
* Pharmacokinetics of novel drugs.
