
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
2017
Conference Publication
Comparison of Faecal Microbe Diversity Between Motor Neurone Disease (Mnd) and Control Participants
Steyn, Frederik J., Restuadi, Restuadi, Ioannides, Zara, Ngo, Shyuan T., McRae, Allan, Wray, Naomi R., Henderson, Robert and McCombe, Pamela (2017). Comparison of Faecal Microbe Diversity Between Motor Neurone Disease (Mnd) and Control Participants. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian-and-New-Zealand-Association-of-Neurologists (ANZAN), Gold Coast, Australia, 9-12 May 2017. London, United Kingdom: BMJ. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2017-316074.81
2017
Conference Publication
Alemtuzumab durably improves clinical outcomes in patients with active RRMS in the absence of continuous treatment: 7-year follow-up of CARE-MS-I patients (TOPAZ study)
Coles, A. J., Boyko, A. N., De Seze, J., Hartung, H-P., Havrdova, E., Inshasi, J. S., McCombe, P., Montalban, X., Pozzilli, C., Selmaj, K. W., Vermersch, P., Margolin, D. H., Daizadeh, N., Rodriguez, C. E. and Van Wijmeersch, B. (2017). Alemtuzumab durably improves clinical outcomes in patients with active RRMS in the absence of continuous treatment: 7-year follow-up of CARE-MS-I patients (TOPAZ study). 7th Joint European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), Paris, France, 25-28 October 2017. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications. doi: 10.1177/1352458517731406
2017
Conference Publication
The effect of disease-modifying treatments on conversion to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
Brown, J. W. L., Coles, A., Horakova, D., Havrdova, E., Trojano, M., Izquierdo, G., Prat, A., Girard, M., Hupperts, R., Van Pesch, V., Ferraro, D., Alroughani, R., Bergamaschi, R., Pucci, E., Iuliano, G., Lechner-Scott, J., Spelman, T., Jokubaitis, V., Ramo-Tello, C., Spitaleri, D., Granella, F., Solaro, C., Ampapa, R., Deri, N., McCombe, P., Petersen, T., Van Wijmeersch, B., Prevost, J., Sanchez-Menoyo, J. L. ... Robsertson, N. (2017). The effect of disease-modifying treatments on conversion to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. 7th Joint European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), Paris, France, 25-28 October 2017. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications. doi: 10.1177/1352458517731283
2017
Conference Publication
Timing of High-Efficacy Disease Modifying Therapies for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Merkel, Bernd, Jokubaitis, Vilija, Spelman, Tim, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, McCombe, Pamela, Slee, Mark, Vucic, Steve, Skibina, Olga, Barnett, Michael, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Butzkueven, Helmut and Kalincik, Tomas (2017). Timing of High-Efficacy Disease Modifying Therapies for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian-and-New-Zealand-Association-of-Neurologists (ANZAN), Gold Coast, Australia, May 09-12, 2017. LONDON: BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2017-316074.16
2017
Conference Publication
Pregnancy outcomes in patients with RRMS treated with alemtuzumab from the clinical development program
Rog, D., Oh, J., Chambers, C., Hellwig, K., McCombe, P., Otero, S., Margolin, D. H., Daizadeh, N. and Compston, D. A. S. (2017). Pregnancy outcomes in patients with RRMS treated with alemtuzumab from the clinical development program. 7th Joint European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), Paris, France, 25-28 October 2017. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications. doi: 10.1177/1352458517731404
2017
Conference Publication
Risk of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal study
Fambiatos, A., Jokubaitis, V., Spelman, T., Horakova, D., Havrdova, E., Trojano, M., Prat, A., Girard, M., Duquette, P., Lugaresi, A., Izquierdo, G., Grand'Maison, F., Grammond, P., Sola, P., Ferraro, D., Alroughani, R., Terzi, M., Hupperts, R., Boz, C., Lechner-Scott, J., Pucci, E., Bergamaschi, R., Van Pesch, V., Ozakbas, S., Granella, F., Ramo, C., Turkoglu, R., Iuliano, G., Spitaleri, D. ... Kalincik, T. (2017). Risk of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal study. 7th Joint European-Committee-for-Treatment-and-Research-in-Multiple-Sclerosis (ECTRIMS)-Americas-Committee-for-Treatment-and-Research-in-Multiple-Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), Paris, France, 25-28 October 2017. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.
2017
Conference Publication
Timing of high-efficacy disease modifying therapies for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Merkel, B., Jokubaitis, V., Spelman, T., Horakova, D., Havrdova, E., Trojano, M., Izquierdo, G., Lugaresi, A., Prat, A., Girard, M., Duquette, P., Sola, P., Ferraro, D., Grammond, P., Hupperts, R., Bergamaschi, R., Alroughani, R., Boz, C., Terzi, M., Pucci, E., Van Pesch, V., Grand'Maison, F., Fernandez-Bolanos, R., Lechner-Scott, J., Spitaleri, D., Shaygannejad, V., Iuliano, G., Granella, F., Solaro, C. ... Kalincik, T. (2017). Timing of high-efficacy disease modifying therapies for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. 7th Joint European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), Paris, France, 25-28 October 2017. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications. doi: 10.1177/1352458517731283
2017
Conference Publication
Gelsolin, clusterin and Cd5L are the potential plasma biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with and without cognitive impairment
Xu, Zhouwei, Lee, Aven, Henderson, Robert and McCombe, Pamela (2017). Gelsolin, clusterin and Cd5L are the potential plasma biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with and without cognitive impairment. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian-and-New-Zealand-Association-of-Neurologists (ANZAN), Gold Coast, Australia, 9-12 May 2017. London, United Kingdom: B M J Group. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2017-316074.34
2017
Conference Publication
Screening for cognitive and behavioural impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: frequency of abnormality and effect on survival
Xu, Zhouwei, Alruwaili, Ashwag, Henderson, Robert and McCombe, Pamela (2017). Screening for cognitive and behavioural impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: frequency of abnormality and effect on survival. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian-and-New-Zealand-Association-of-Neurologists (ANZAN), Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 9-12 May 2017. London, United Kingdom: BMJ Group. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2017-316074.29
2017
Conference Publication
Pregnancy incidence and therapy exposure in relapsing forms of MS: a 12-year retrospective multicentre analysis
Jokubaitis, V. G., Havrdova, E., Horakova, D., Izquierdo, G., Kalincik, T., van der Walt, A., Nguyen, A. -L., Terzi, M., Alroughani, R., Duquette, P., Girard, M., Prat, A., Boz, C., Sola, P., Lugaresi, A., Lechner-Scott, J., Barnett, M., Grand'Maison, F., Grammond, P., Ramo, C., Turkoglu, R., McCombe, P., Hupperts, R., Bolanos, R. Fernandez, Pucci, E., Trojano, M., Granella, F., Spitaleri, D., Van Pesch, V. ... Butzkueven, H. (2017). Pregnancy incidence and therapy exposure in relapsing forms of MS: a 12-year retrospective multicentre analysis. 7th Joint European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS), Paris, France, 25-28 October 2017. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications. doi: 10.1177/1352458517731404
2016
Journal Article
Higher latitude is significantly associated with an earlier age of disease onset in multiple sclerosis
Tao, Chunrong, Simpson, Steve, van der Mei, Ingrid, Blizzard, Leigh, Havrdova, Eva, Horakova, Dana, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Trojano, Maria, Duquette, Pierre, Girard, Marc, Grand'Maison, Franois, Grammond, Pierre, Alroughani, Raed, Terzi, Murat, Oreja-Guevara, Celia, Sajedi, Seyed Aidin, Iuliano, Gerardo, Sola, Patrizia, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Van Pesch, Vincent, Pucci, Eugenio, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Barnett, Michael, Ramo, Cristina, Singhal, Bhim, Spitaleri, Daniele L. A., Slee, Mark ... Taylor, Bruce V. (2016). Higher latitude is significantly associated with an earlier age of disease onset in multiple sclerosis. JNNP Online, 87 (12), 1343-1349. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2016-314013
2016
Journal Article
Neurofilaments as biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Xu, Zhouwei, Henderson, Robert David, David, Michael and McCombe, Pamela Ann (2016). Neurofilaments as biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 11 (10) e0164625, e0164625. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164625
2016
Journal Article
Altered metabolic homeostasis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: mechanisms of energy imbalance and contribution to disease progression
Ioannides, Z. A., Ngo, S. T., Henderson, R. D., McCombe, P. A. and Steyn, F. J. (2016). Altered metabolic homeostasis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: mechanisms of energy imbalance and contribution to disease progression. Neurodegenerative Diseases, 15 (5-6), 382-397. doi: 10.1159/000446502
2016
Journal Article
Identification and outcomes of clinical phenotypes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease: Australian National Motor Neuron Disease observational cohort
Talman, Paul, Thi Duong, Vucic, Steve, Mathers, Susan, Venkatesh, Svetha, Henderson, Robert, Rowe, Dominic, Schultz, David, Edis, Robert, Needham, Merrilee, Macdonnell, Richard, McCombe, Pamela, Birks, Carol and Kiernan, Matthew (2016). Identification and outcomes of clinical phenotypes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease: Australian National Motor Neuron Disease observational cohort. BMJ Open, 6 (9) e012054, e012054. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012054
2016
Journal Article
Defining secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
Lorscheider, Johannes, Buzzard, Katherine, Jokubaitis, Vilija, Spelman, Tim, Havrdova, Eva, Horakova, Dana, Trojano, Maria, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Girard, Marc, Duquette, Pierre, Prat, Alexandre, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Grand'maison, Francois, Grammond, Pierre, Hupperts, Raymond, Alroughani, Raed, Sola, Patrizia, Boz, Cavit, Pucci, Eugenio, Lechner-Scott, Jeanette, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Oreja-Guevara, Celia, Iuliano, Gerardo, Van Pesch, Vincent, Granella, Franco, Ramo-Tello, Cristina, Spitaleri, Daniele, Petersen, Thor, Slee, Mark ... Kalincik, Tomas (2016). Defining secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Brain, 139 (9), 2395-2405. doi: 10.1093/brain/aww173
2016
Journal Article
Predictors of long-term disability accrual in relapse-onset multiple sclerosis
Jokubaitis, Vilija G., Spelman, Tim, Kalincik, Tomas, Lorscheider, Johannes, Havrdova, Eva, Horakova, Dana, Duquette, Pierre, Girard, Marc, Prat, Alexandre, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Grammond, Pierre, Van Pesch, Vincent, Pucci, Eugenio, Grand'Maison, Francois, Hupperts, Raymond, Granella, Franco, Sola, Patrizia, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Iuliano, Gerardo, Spitaleri, Daniele, Boz, Cavit, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Olascoaga, Javier, Verheul, Freek, McCombe, Pamela, Petersen, Thor, Rozsa, Csilla, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Laura Saladino, Maria ... Trojano, Maria (2016). Predictors of long-term disability accrual in relapse-onset multiple sclerosis. Annals of Neurology, 80 (1), 89-100. doi: 10.1002/ana.24682
2016
Journal Article
Interleukin 6 promoter 174 G/C polymorphisms in acute ischemic stroke: G allele is protective but not associated with IL-6 levels or stroke outcome
Yan, J., Greer, J. M. and McCombe, P. A. (2016). Interleukin 6 promoter 174 G/C polymorphisms in acute ischemic stroke: G allele is protective but not associated with IL-6 levels or stroke outcome. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 293, 22-27. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2016.02.001
2016
Journal Article
Contribution of different relapse phenotypes to disability in multiple sclerosis
Stewart, Tamasine, Spelman, Tim, Havrdova, Eva, Horakova, Dana, Trojano, Maria, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Duquette, Pierre, Girard, Marc, Prat, Alexandre, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Grand'Maison, Francois, Grammond, Pierre, Sola, Patrizia, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Hupperts, Raymond, Alroughani, Raed, Oreja-Guevara, Celia, Pucci, Eugenio, Boz, Cavit, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Van Pesch, Vincent, Iuliano, Gerardo, Ramo, Cristina, Taylor, Bruce, Slee, Mark, Spitaleri, Daniele, Granella, Franco, Verheul, Freek ... Kalincik, Tomas (2016). Contribution of different relapse phenotypes to disability in multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 23 (2), 266-276. doi: 10.1177/1352458516643392
2016
Conference Publication
Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with RRMS Who Received Alemtuzumab in the Clinical Development Program
Oh, Jiwon, Achiron, Anat, Chambers, Christina, Fox, Edward, McCombe, Pamela, Otero, Susana, Margolin, David, Kasten, Linda and Compston, D. Alastair (2016). Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with RRMS Who Received Alemtuzumab in the Clinical Development Program. AAN 68th Annual Meeting, Vancouver, Canada, 15 - 21 April 2016. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.86.16_supplement.s24.008
2016
Conference Publication
Prospectively tracking disease course and treatment changes in Neuromyelitis Optica using NMOBase, a global online registry
Kister, Ilya, Bacon, Tamar, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Hor, Jyh Yung, Alroughani, Raed, Haas, Shannon, Terzi, Murat, Boz, Cavit, Olascoaga, Javier, McCombe, Pamela, Fragoso, Yara, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Sola, Patrizia, Vucic, Steve, Pucci, Eugenio, Al-Harbi, Talal, Sajedi, Seyed Aidin, Rojas, Juan Ignacio, Patrucco, Liliana, Cristiano, Edgardo, Suarez, Jose Alberto, Tsolaki, Magdalini, Taylor, Bruce, Iuliano, Gerardo, Devranis, Paschalis, Marriott, Mark and Butzkueven, Helmut (2016). Prospectively tracking disease course and treatment changes in Neuromyelitis Optica using NMOBase, a global online registry. AAN 68th Annual Meeting, Vancouver, Canada, 15 - 21 April 2016. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.86.16_supplement.p5.307
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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Master Philosophy
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
Survival and heterogeneity in Motor Neurone Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
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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
The Role of Neutrophils in Motor Neuron Disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Dr Jenny Fung, Dr John Lee, Dr Cedric Cui
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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 potential role of CXCR2 activation in motor neuron disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Trent Woodruff, Dr Jenny Fung, Dr John Lee
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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
The potential role of CXCR2 activation in motor neuron disease
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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