Overview
Background
Neurologist
Dr McCombe graduated in Medicine from UQ and completed a Science degree for medical students. She then trained as a neurologist in Sydney, at Prince Henry and Prince of Wales Hospitals. She obtained a PhD from the University of Sydney. She obtained experience in Neurophysiology in Cleveland and then returned to UQ as a post-doctoral fellow. She worked for some years as a research fellow in Neuroimmunology and was an NHMRc SRF. Later she resumed clinical practice as a neurologist, and contimued her research as an NHMRC Practitioner Fellow. She is currentlyProfessor and Head of the Royal Brisbane Clinical school in the School of Medicine and Co-head of the Brain and Mental Health Theme at the UQ Centre for Clinical Research.
Availability
- Professor Pamela McCombe is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sydney
- Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Research interests
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Biomarkers and heterogeneity in ALS
One of the challenges of ALS is understanding disease heterogeneity. Our work studies the variability of patients by detailed clinical, laboratory and genetic studies, and by identifying biomarkers that are associated with disease. We use a range of techniques including neurophysiology, MRI, metabolic studies, genetic studies, immune markers and biochemical studies including proteomics. We are using this information to analyse whether patients can be assigned into subgroups and to correlated with survival.
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Inflammatory neuropathy studies
This is an ongoing study of the immunological basis and genetic basis of acute and chronic inflammatory neuropathy
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Pregnancy and MS
This study is exploring the short and long term effects of pregnancy in multiple sclerosis. This includes the clinical effects of pregnancy and the effects on gene expression and methylation
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Immunology of stroke
This study involves documenting the immune responses after human stroke and determining the significance of these responses.
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Neuromuscular disease
This work is based at the Neuromuscular clinic at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, and involves correlation of genotype and phenotype of inherited neuromuscular disease
Works
Search Professor Pamela McCombe’s works on UQ eSpace
2026
Journal Article
Maximal motor unit firing rates decline with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progression
Fernandes, Gabriel L., Orssatto, Lucas B.R., Pinto, Matheus D., Henkin, Joao S., Shandiz, Ehsan, McCombe, Pamela A., Henderson, Robert D. and Trajano, Gabriel S. (2026). Maximal motor unit firing rates decline with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progression. Clinical Neurophysiology, 185 2111697. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2026.2111697
2026
Journal Article
Impact of Age at Onset on Relapse and Disability in AQP4-IgG Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder
Siriratnam, Pakeeran, Jokubaitis, Vilija G., Van Der Walt, Anneke, Sanfilippo, Paul G., Zhu, Chao, Etemadifar, Masoud, Altintas, Ayse, Al-Asmi, Abdullah, Laureys, Guy, Meca-Lallana, Jose E., Foschi, Matteo, Alroughani, Raed, Gomez-Figueroa, Enrique, Habek, Mario, Khoury, Samia J., Simo, Magdolna, Singhal, Bhim Sen G., Jakob, Gregor Brecl, Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena J., Soysal, Aysun, Kermode, Allan G., Shaygannejad, Vahid, Kubala Havrdova, Eva, Millan-Pascual, Jorge, Roos, Izanne, Mccombe, Pamela Ann, Nytrova, Petra, Boz, Cavit, Surcinelli, Andrea ... Fatih Yetkin, Mehmet (2026). Impact of Age at Onset on Relapse and Disability in AQP4-IgG Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder. Neurology, 106 (7) e214707. doi: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000214707
2026
Journal Article
Preserving Neurological Function in People at High and Low Risk of Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis: An Observational Cohort Study
Roos, Izanne, Sharmin, Sifat, Ozakbas, Serkan, Alroughani, Raed, Eichau, Sara, Grand'maison, Francois, Boz, Cavit, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Buzzard, Katherine, Prat, Alexandre, Khoury, Samia J., Grammond, Pierre, Van Der Walt, Anneke, Blanco, Yolanda, Foschi, Matteo, Soysal, Aysun, Barnett, Michael, Prevost, Julie, Terzi, Murat, Gerlach, Oliver, Macdonell, Richard, Sa, Maria Jose, Spitaleri, Daniele, Laureys, Guy, Van Pesch, Vincent, John, Nevin, Cartechini, Elisabetta, Gouider, Riadh, Maimone, Davide ... Kalincik, Tomas (2026). Preserving Neurological Function in People at High and Low Risk of Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis: An Observational Cohort Study. Cns Drugs. doi: 10.1007/s40263-026-01287-8
2026
Journal Article
Complement dysregulation in multiple sclerosis: emerging mechanisms and translational therapeutic opportunities
Khan, Nemat, Zakriya, Zikra M., McCombe, Pamela and Woodruff, Trent M. (2026). Complement dysregulation in multiple sclerosis: emerging mechanisms and translational therapeutic opportunities. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 47 (4), 355-368. doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2026.02.006
2026
Journal Article
Large-scale exome analyses reveal new rare variant contributions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Hop, Paul J., Kooyman, Maarten, Kenna, Brendan J., Zwamborn, Ramona A. J., van Eijk, Kristel R., Wang, Yan, van Dijk, Charlotte H., Bekema, Erwin, van Rheenen, Wouter, Beele, Paul, van Vugt, Joke J. F. A., Al Khleifat, Ahmad, Iacoangeli, Alfredo, Cooper-Knock, Johnathan, Smith, Bradley N., Topp, Simon, van der Kooi, Anneke J., Fominykh, Vera, Drory, Vivian, Lerner, Yossef, Shovman, Yehuda, Rowe, Dominic B., Williams, Kelly L., McLaughlin, Russell L., Hurt, Jessica, Huang, Yunfeng, Chen, Chia-Yen, Tsai, Ellen, Runz, Heiko ... Veldink, Jan H. (2026). Large-scale exome analyses reveal new rare variant contributions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nature Genetics, 58 (4), 717-725. doi: 10.1038/s41588-026-02535-9
2026
Journal Article
Review of the pathology of muscle in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Katz, Matthew, Robertson, Thomas, Ngo, Shyuan T., Yarlagadda, Sai, Henderson, Robert D., McCombe, Pamela A. and Noakes, Peter G. (2026). Review of the pathology of muscle in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 27 (6) 2802, 1-33. doi: 10.3390/ijms27062802
2026
Journal Article
Haematopoietic stem cell transplant versus immune-reconstitution therapy in relapsing multiple sclerosis
Kalincik, Tomas, Sharmin, Sifat, Roos, Izanne, Freedman, Mark S, Atkins, Harold, Massey, Jennifer, Sutton, Ian, Withers, Barbara, Burman, Joachim, Torkildsen, Øivind, Bø, Lars, Lehmann, Anne Kristine, Havrdova, Eva Kubala, Krasulova, Eva, Trneny, Marek, Kozak, Tomas, Macdonell, Richard, Brown, J William L, Coles, Alasdair, van der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, Van Wijmeersch, Bart, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Barnett, Michael, Laureys, Guy, Willekens, Barbara, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Di Gregorio, Maria ... Snowden, John A (2026). Haematopoietic stem cell transplant versus immune-reconstitution therapy in relapsing multiple sclerosis. Brain, 149 (3), 951-962. doi: 10.1093/brain/awaf286
2026
Conference Publication
Bayesian networks to generate representative longitudinal data in multiple sclerosis
Qiang, Zhe, Iqbal, Hassam, Sharmina, Sifat, Kermode, Allan, Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena, Carroll, William, Van Der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, Lechner-Scott, Jeanette, John, Nevin, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Barnett, Michael, Mccombe, Pamela, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Macdonell, Richard, Slee, Mark, Hardy, Todd, Vucic, Steve, Reddel, Stephen, Ramanathan, Sudarshini, Taylor, Bruce, Foong, Yi Chao, Garber, Justin, Field, Deborah, Malpas, Charles, Roos, Izanne and Kalincik, Tomas (2026). Bayesian networks to generate representative longitudinal data in multiple sclerosis. MS Australia's 10th Progress in MS Research Conference, Brisbane Australia, Dec 03-05, 2025. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2026
Conference Publication
Long-term prognostic value of confirmed disability improvements in multiple sclerosis
Lizak, Nathaniel, Sharmin, Sifat, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Van Der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, Barnett, Michael, Kermode, Allan G., Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena, Carroll, William M., John, Nevin, Macdonell, Richard, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Slee, Mark, McCombe, Pamela, Taylor, Bruce, Garber, Justin, Ferrando, Beatriz Romero, Mason, Deborah, Hardy, Todd, Vucic, Steve, Reddel, Stephen, Ramanathan, Sudarshini, Massey, Jennifer, Shaw, Cameron, Field, Deborah, Shuey, Neil, Roos, Izanne and Kalincik, Tomas (2026). Long-term prognostic value of confirmed disability improvements in multiple sclerosis. MS Australia's 10th Progress in MS Research Conference, Brisbane Australia, Dec 03-05, 2025. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2026
Conference Publication
Effectiveness of ocrelizumab in multiple sclerosis: a multi-registry cohort study
Roos, Izanne, Sharmin, Sifat, Barnett, Michael, Van Der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, Buzzard, Katherine, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, John, Nevin, Macdonell, Richard, Mccombe, Pamela, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Kermode, Allan, Vukusic, Sandra, Magyari, Melinda, Laplaud, David and Kalincik, Tomas (2026). Effectiveness of ocrelizumab in multiple sclerosis: a multi-registry cohort study. MS Australia's 10th Progress in MS Research Conference, Brisbane Australia, Dec 03-05, 2025. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2026
Conference Publication
Late-Onset Multiple Sclerosis: Do High-Efficacy Treatments Deliver Better Outcomes?
Foong, Yi Chao, Merlo, Daniel, Gresle, Melissa, Buzzard, Katherine, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva, Kalincik, Tomas, Roos, Izanne, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca, Ozakbas, Serkan, Surcinelli, Andrea, Foschi, Matteo, Boz, Cavit, Khoury, Samia, Yamout, Bassem, Laureys, Guy, Blanco, Yolanda, Skibina, Olga, Kuhle, Jens, John, Nevin, Alroughani, Raed, Prevost, Julie, Van Pesch, Vincent, Tomassini, Valentina, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc ... Van Der Walt, Anneke (2026). Late-Onset Multiple Sclerosis: Do High-Efficacy Treatments Deliver Better Outcomes?. MS Australia's 10th Progress in MS Research Conference, Brisbane Australia, Dec 03-05, 2025. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2026
Conference Publication
Machine Learning-Generated Longitudinal Synthetic International Data in Multiple Sclerosis
Iqbal, Hassam, Qiang, Zhe, Sharmin, Sifat, Ball, Gareth, Brankovic, Aida, Kermode, Allan G., Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena, Carroll, William M., Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Van Der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, John, Nevin, Barnett, Michael, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Slee, Mark, Mccombe, Pamela, Taylor, Bruce, Foong, Yi Chao, Macdonell, Richard, Hardy, Todd A., Vucic, Steve, Reddel, Stephen, Ramanathan, Sudarshini, Field, Deborah, Massey, Jennifer, Malpas, Charles, Roos, Izanne and Kalincik, Prof Tomas (2026). Machine Learning-Generated Longitudinal Synthetic International Data in Multiple Sclerosis. MS Australia's 10th Progress in MS Research Conference, Brisbane Australia, Dec 03-05, 2025. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2026
Conference Publication
Geomagnetic Disturbance and Ultraviolet Exposures Influence Multiple Sclerosis Onset Timing
Sajedi, Seyed Aidin, Zhu, Chao, Abdollahi, Fahimeh, Saberi, Fatemeh, Horakova, Dana, Ozakbas, Serkan, Zakaria, Magd, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Etemadifar, Masoud, Khoury, Samia J., Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca, Patti, Francesco, Boz, Cavit, Eichau, Sara, Tomassini, Valentina, Terzi, Murat, Duquette, Pierre, Kermode, Allan G., Karelis, Guntis, Amato, Maria Pia, Libertinova, Jana, Grand'Maison, Francois, Shalaby, Nevin, Kalincik, Tomas, Buzzard, Katherine, Habek, Mario, Blanco, Yolanda, Grammond, Pierre, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette ... Butzkueven, Helmut (2026). Geomagnetic Disturbance and Ultraviolet Exposures Influence Multiple Sclerosis Onset Timing. MS Australia's 10th Progress in MS Research Conference, Brisbane Australia, Dec 03-05, 2025. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2026
Conference Publication
Treatment strategies after cell-trafficking agents in MS-patients aged ≥ 50 years
Muller, Jannis, Buzzard, Kathrine, Skibina, Olga, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Barnett, Michael, Van Der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, John, Nevin, Mccombe, Pamela, Kermode, Allan G., Fabris-Pedrini, Marzena, Carroll, William M., Macdonell, Richard, Slee, Mark, Kuhle, Jens, Amato, Maria Pia, Trojano, Maria, Kalincik, Tomas and Roos, Izanne (2026). Treatment strategies after cell-trafficking agents in MS-patients aged ≥ 50 years. MS Australia's 10th Progress in MS Research Conference, Brisbane Australia, Dec 03-05, 2025. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2026
Conference Publication
Cessation of anti-trafficking therapies after the age of 50 years
Muller, Jannis, Sharmin, Sifat, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Barnett, Michael, Van Der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, John, Nevin, Mccombe, Pamela, Kermode, Allan, Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena, Macdonell, Richard, Slee, Mark, Garber, Justin, Kuhle, Jens, Kappos, Ludwig, Amato, Maria Pia, Trojan, Maria, Kalincik, Tomas and Roos, Izanne (2026). Cessation of anti-trafficking therapies after the age of 50 years. MS Australia's 10th Progress in MS Research Conference, Brisbane Australia, Dec 03-05, 2025. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2026
Conference Publication
Causal effects of multiple sclerosis therapies in left-truncated registry data
Haile, Dagmawi, Diouf, Ibrahima, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Van Der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, Macdonell, Richard, Barnett, Michael, Shaw, Cameron, Massey, Jennifer, Hardy, Todd A., Vucic, Steve, Reddel, Stephen, Ramanathan, Sudarshini, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Garber, Justin, John, Nevin, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Slee, Mark, Kermode, Allan G., Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena, Carroll, William M., McCombe, Pamela, Foong, Yi Chao, Taylor, Bruce, Ferrando, Beatriz Romero, Stuart, Elizabeth, Sharmin, Sifat, Roos, Izanne and Kalincik, Tomas (2026). Causal effects of multiple sclerosis therapies in left-truncated registry data. MS Australia's 10th Progress in MS Research Conference, Brisbane Australia, Dec 03-05, 2025. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2026
Journal Article
Systemic immune-metabolic interactions in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: correlations of plasma cytokines with metabolic status
Howe, Stephanie L., Holdom, Cory J., McCombe, Pamela A., Henderson, Robert D., Steyn, Frederik J. and Ngo, Shyuan T. (2026). Systemic immune-metabolic interactions in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: correlations of plasma cytokines with metabolic status. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 1-11. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2026.2627902
2026
Journal Article
Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay in two half-siblings
Yeow, Dennis, Katz, Matthew, Rodgers, Jonathan, Davis, Mark, Robertson, Thomas, Gardner, R. J. McKinlay and McCombe, Pamela A. (2026). Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay in two half-siblings. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, 13 (2) acn3.70236, 413-417. doi: 10.1002/acn3.70236
2026
Journal Article
Assessment of language and executive functions in ALS: the brief executive Language screen
Robinson, Gail A., Phillips, Mia R., Horne, Kristina, Ceslis, Amelia, McCombe, Pamela A. and Henderson, Robert D. (2026). Assessment of language and executive functions in ALS: the brief executive Language screen. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 1-11. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2025.2607398
2026
Journal Article
Moderate–high efficacy disease-modifying therapies reduce relapse risk in late-onset multiple sclerosis
Foong, Yi Chao, Merlo, Daniel, Gresle, Melissa, Buzzard, Katherine, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva Kubala, Kalincik, Tomas, Roos, Izanne, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca, Ozakbas,, Serkan, Surcinelli, Andrea, Foschi, Matteo, Boz, Cavit, Khoury, Samia Joseph, Yamout, Bassem, Laureys, Guy, Blanco, Yolanda, Skibina, Olga, Kuhle, Jens, John, Nevin, Alroughani, Raed, Prevost, Julie, Van Pesch, Vincent, Tomassini, Valentina, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc ... Study Group, MSBase (2026). Moderate–high efficacy disease-modifying therapies reduce relapse risk in late-onset multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 97 (1) jnnp-2025-336513, 1-9. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2025-336513
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Pamela McCombe is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Studies of neurophysiology of motor neurone disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
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Doctor Philosophy
Survival and heterogeneity in Motor Neurone Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
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Doctor Philosophy
The role of Epstein-Barr virus infection in multiple sclerosis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Judith Greer
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Doctor Philosophy
Studies of myasthenia gravis using MGBase.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefan Blum
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Doctor Philosophy
The role of neutrophils in motor neuron disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Dr Jenny Fung, Dr Cedric Cui, Dr John Lee
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Doctor Philosophy
Unravelling the role of CXCR2 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Dr Jenny Fung, Dr John Lee
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Defining the Clinical Phenotype of Autoantibody Associated Epilepsy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Kristen Radford
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2022
Master Philosophy
Studies of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Clinical and laboratory features of ALS
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson, Dr Aven Lee
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2017
Master Philosophy
Energy metabolism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Assessment of body composition and energy expenditure
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson, Associate Professor Shyuan Ngo, Associate Professor Frederik Steyn
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Measuring the progression of upper motor neuron disease using diffusion MRI and its correlation with Clinical phenotype
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson, Dr Nyoman Kurniawan, Dr Kerstin Pannek
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Pathogenesis of Guillain-Barre syndrome and chronic inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Judith Greer
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2012
Doctor Philosophy
Biomarkers of Motor Neurone Disease : Neurophysiological studies of lower motor degeneration
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
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2007
Doctor Philosophy
EXAMINATION OF SURFACE-RECORDED MOTOR UNITS AND A NEW APPROACH TO MOTOR UNIT NUMBER ESTIMATES
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Judith Greer
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2003
Doctor Philosophy
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION IN EXPERIMENTAL AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS
Principal Advisor
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Multimodal evaluation of autoimmune encephalitis in Queensland
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefan Blum
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Asymmetry and Vulnerability in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular analysis of the motor neuron disease-associated protein, TDP-43
Associate Advisor
Media
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