
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
-
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.
-
Inflammatory neuropathy studies
This is an ongoing study of the immunological basis and genetic basis of acute and chronic inflammatory neuropathy
-
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
-
Immunology of stroke
This study involves documenting the immune responses after human stroke and determining the significance of these responses.
-
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
2023
Journal Article
Disability accrual in primary and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
Harding-Forrester, Sam, Roos, Izanne, Nguyen, Ai-Lan, Malpas, Charles B., Diouf, Ibrahima, Moradi, Nahid, Sharmin, Sifat, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Eichau, Sara, Patti, Francesco, Horakova, Dana, Kubala Havrdova, Eva, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc, Duquette, Pierre, Grand'Maison, Francois, Onofrj, Marco, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Grammond, Pierre, Ozakbas,, Serkan, Amato, Maria Pia, Gerlach, Oliver, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, Diana, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Alroughani, Raed, Boz, Cavit ... Kalincik, Tomas (2023). Disability accrual in primary and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 94 (9) 330726, 1-11. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-330726
2023
Journal Article
Effectiveness of multiple disease-modifying therapies in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: causal inference to emulate a multiarm randomised trial
Diouf, Ibrahima, Malpas, Charles B, Sharmin, Sifat, Roos, Izanne, Horakova, Dana, Kubala Havrdova, Eva, Patti, Francesco, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Ozakbas, Serkan, Eichau, Sara, Onofrj, Marco, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Alroughani, Raed, Prat, Alexandre, Duquette, Pierre, Terzi, Murat, Boz, Cavit, Grand'Maison, Francois, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, Diana, Grammond, Pierre, Yamout, Bassem, Altintas, Ayse, Gerlach, Oliver, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Karabudak, Rana, Iuliano, Gerardo, McGuigan, Christopher ... Kalincik, Tomas (2023). Effectiveness of multiple disease-modifying therapies in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: causal inference to emulate a multiarm randomised trial. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 94 (12), jnnp-2023. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2023-331499
2023
Conference Publication
Novel real world evidence from MSGo, a digital support program for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients in Australia using Siponimod
Hardy, Todd, Aouad, Patrick, Barnett, Michael, Blum, Stefan, Broadley, Simon, Carroll, William, Crimmins, Denis, Griffiths, Dayna, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Lee, Andrew, Malhotra, Ram, McCombe, Pamela, Parratt, John, Plummer, Christopher, Van der Walt, Anneke, Martel, Kate and Walker, Rob (2023). Novel real world evidence from MSGo, a digital support program for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients in Australia using Siponimod. PACTRIMS 2022: 12th Pan-Asian Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, Singapore, Singapore, 24-26 November 2022. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.
2023
Journal Article
Early non-disabling relapses are important predictors of disability accumulation in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Daruwalla, Cyrus, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Ozakbas, Serkan, Havrdova, Eva Kubala, Horakova, Dana, Alroughani, Raed, Boz, Cavit, Patti, Francesco, Onofrj, Marco, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Eichau, Sara, Girard, Marc, Prat, Alexandre, Duquette, Pierre, Yamout, Bassem, Khoury, Samia J., Sajedi, Seyed Aidin, Turkoglu, Recai, Altintas, Ayse, Skibina, Olga, Buzzard, Katherine, Grammond, Pierre, Karabudak, Rana, van der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, Maimone, Davide, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Soysal, Aysun, John, Nevin ... Brown, J William L (2023). Early non-disabling relapses are important predictors of disability accumulation in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis, 29 (7), 875-883. doi: 10.1177/13524585231151951
2023
Journal Article
Comparative effectiveness of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant vs fingolimod, natalizumab, and ocrelizumab in highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Kalincik, Tomas, Sharmin, Sifat, Roos, Izanne, Freedman, Mark S., Atkins, Harold, Burman, Joachim, Massey, Jennifer, Sutton, Ian, Withers, Barbara, Macdonell, Richard, Grigg, Andrew, Torkildsen, Øivind, Bo, Lars, Lehmann, Anne Kristine, Havrdova, Eva Kubala, Krasulova, Eva, Trněný, Marek, Kozak, Tomas, van der Walt, Anneke, Butzkueven, Helmut, McCombe, Pamela, Skibina, Olga, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Willekens, Barbara, Cartechini, Elisabetta, Ozakbas, Serkan, Alroughani, Raed, Kuhle, Jens, Patti, Francesco ... MSBase Study Group Authors (2023). Comparative effectiveness of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant vs fingolimod, natalizumab, and ocrelizumab in highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. JAMA Neurology, 80 (7), 702-713. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.1184
2023
Journal Article
Variability of the response to immunotherapy among subgroups of patients with multiple sclerosis
Diouf, Ibrahima, Malpas, Charles B., Sharmin, Sifat, Roos, Izanne, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva Kubala, Patti, Francesco, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Ozakbas, Serkan, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Eichau, Sara, Onofrj, Marco, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Alroughani, Raed, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc, Duquette, Pierre, Terzi, Murat, Boz, Cavit, Grand'Maison, Francois, Hamdy, Sherif, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, Diana, Grammond, Pierre, Turkoglu, Recai, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Yamout, Bassem, Altintas, Ayse ... Kalincik, Tomas (2023). Variability of the response to immunotherapy among subgroups of patients with multiple sclerosis. European Journal of Neurology, 30 (4), 1014-1024. doi: 10.1111/ene.15706
2023
Journal Article
Sensitivity and specificity of the ECAS in identifying executive function and social cognition deficits in MND
Tjokrowijoto, Priscilla, Phillips, Mia, Ceslis, Amelia, Henderson, Robert D., McCombe, Pamela A. and Robinson, Gail A. (2023). Sensitivity and specificity of the ECAS in identifying executive function and social cognition deficits in MND. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 24 (5-6), 466-474. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2188053
2023
Journal Article
Comparative effectiveness in multiple sclerosis: a methodological comparison
Roos, Izanne, Diouf, Ibrahima, Sharmin, Sifat, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva Kubala, Patti, Francesco, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Ozakbas, Serkan, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Eichau, Sara, Onofrj, Marco, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Alroughani, Raed, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc, Duquette, Pierre, Terzi, Murat, Boz, Cavit, Grand’Maison, Francois, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, Diana, Grammond, Pierre, Turkoglu, Recai, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Yamou, Bassem, Altintas, Ayse, Gerlach, Oliver, van Pesch, Vincent ... Kalincik, Tomas (2023). Comparative effectiveness in multiple sclerosis: a methodological comparison. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 29 (3), 326-332. doi: 10.1177/13524585231151394
2023
Journal Article
Case report: Adult-onset limb girdle muscular dystrophy in sibling pair due to novel homozygous LAMA2 missense variant
Katz, Matthew, Waddell, Leigh B., Yuen, Michaela, Bryen, Samantha J., Oates, Emily, Garton, Fleur C., Robertson, Thomas, Henderson, Robert David, Cooper, Sandra T. and McCombe, Pamela A. (2023). Case report: Adult-onset limb girdle muscular dystrophy in sibling pair due to novel homozygous LAMA2 missense variant. Frontiers in Neurology, 14 1055639, 1055639. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1055639
2023
Journal Article
Muscle and its neuromuscular synapse – players in the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease
Noakes, Peter G., Phillips, William D., Jeffree, Rosalind L., Steyn, Frederik J., Wolvetang, Ernst J., Henderson, Rob D., McCombe, Pamela A. and Ngo, Shyuan T. (2023). Muscle and its neuromuscular synapse – players in the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease. Journal of Experimental Neurology, 4 (1), 1-5. doi: 10.33696/neurol.4.067
2023
Journal Article
Phenotypic variability within the desminopathies: A case series of three patients
Yeow, Dennis, Katz, Matthew, Henderson, Robert, Prasad, Sandhir, Denman, Russell, Blum, Stefan, Davis, Mark, Robertson, Thomas and McCombe, Pamela (2023). Phenotypic variability within the desminopathies: A case series of three patients. Frontiers in Neurology, 13 1110934. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1110934
2023
Journal Article
Heterogeneity on long-term disability trajectories in patients with secondary progressive MS: a latent class analysis from Big MS Data network
Signori, Alessio, Lorscheider, Johannes, Vukusic, Sandra, Trojano, Maria, Iaffaldano, Pietro, Hillert, Jan, Hyde, Robert, Pellegrini, Fabio, Magyari, Melinda, Koch-Henriksen, Nils, Sørensen, Per Soelberg, Spelman, Tim, van der Walt, Anneke, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva, Girard, Marc, Eichau, Sara, Grand'Maison, Francois, Gerlach, Oliver, Terzi, Murat, Ozakbas, Serkan, Skibina, Olga, Van Pesch, Vincent, Sa, Maria Jose, Prevost, Julie, Alroughani, Raed, McCombe, Pamela A, Gouider, Riadh, Mrabet, Saloua ... Butzkueven, Helmut (2023). Heterogeneity on long-term disability trajectories in patients with secondary progressive MS: a latent class analysis from Big MS Data network. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 94 (1), 23-30. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-329987
2023
Other Outputs
Skeletal muscle and blood RNA-seq counts in motor neurone disease cases and controls
Anna Freydenzon, Allan F. McRaee, Shyuan Ngo, Naomi R. Wray, Leanne Wallace, Anjali K. Henders, Pamela A. McCombe, Robert D. Henderson and Frederik J. Steyn (2023). Skeletal muscle and blood RNA-seq counts in motor neurone disease cases and controls. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/b722f1f
2022
Journal Article
Age of onset and length of survival of Queensland patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: with details of subjects with early onset and subjects with long survival
Nona, Robert J., Xu, Zhouwei, Robinson, Gail A., Henderson, Robert D. and McCombe, Pamela A. (2022). Age of onset and length of survival of Queensland patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: with details of subjects with early onset and subjects with long survival. Neurodegenerative Diseases, 22 (3-4), 1-18. doi: 10.1159/000528875
2022
Journal Article
Sex differences in Guillain Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy and experimental autoimmune neuritis
McCombe, Pamela A., Hardy, Todd A., Nona, Robert J. and Greer, Judith M. (2022). Sex differences in Guillain Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy and experimental autoimmune neuritis. Frontiers in Immunology, 13 1038411, 1-23. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1038411
2022
Journal Article
Effect of immunotherapy on intracranial EEG in patients with seronegative autoimmune-associated epilepsy
Gillinder, Lisa, Papacostas, Jason, McCombe, Pamela and Chauvel, Patrick (2022). Effect of immunotherapy on intracranial EEG in patients with seronegative autoimmune-associated epilepsy. Epileptic Disorders, 24 (6), 1081-1086. doi: 10.1684/epd.2022.1488
2022
Journal Article
Impact of methodological choices in comparative effectiveness studies: application in natalizumab versus fingolimod comparison among patients with multiple sclerosis
Lefort, M., Sharmin, S., Andersen, J. B., Vukusic, S., Casey, R., Debouverie, M., Edan, G., Ciron, J., Ruet, A., De Sèze, J., Maillart, E., Zephir, H., Labauge, P., Defer, G., Lebrun-Frenay, C., Moreau, T., Berger, E., Clavelou, P., Pelletier, J., Stankoff, B., Gout, O., Thouvenot, E., Heinzlef, O., Al-Khedr, A., Bourre, B., Casez, O., Cabre, P., Montcuquet, A., Wahab, A. ... Leray, E. (2022). Impact of methodological choices in comparative effectiveness studies: application in natalizumab versus fingolimod comparison among patients with multiple sclerosis. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 22 (1) 155, 1-14. doi: 10.1186/s12874-022-01623-8
2022
Journal Article
Effects of biological sex and pregnancy in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: It’s complicated
McCombe, Pamela A. and Greer, Judith M. (2022). Effects of biological sex and pregnancy in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: It’s complicated. Frontiers in Immunology, 13 1059833, 1-24. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1059833
2022
Journal Article
Bi-allelic loss-of-function OBSCN variants predispose individuals to severe recurrent rhabdomyolysis
Cabrera-Serrano, Macarena, Caccavelli, Laure, Savarese, Marco, Vihola, Anna, Jokela, Manu, Johari, Mridul, Capiod, Thierry, Madrange, Marine, Bugiardini, Enrico, Brady, Stefen, Quinlivan, Rosaline, Merve, Ashirwad, Scalco, Renata, Hilton-Jones, David, Houlden, Henry, Aydin, Halil Ibrahim, Ceylaner, Serdar, Drewes, Sarah, Vockley, Jerry, Taylor, Rhonda L., Folland, Chiara, Kelly, Aasta, Goullee, Hayley, Ylikallio, Emil, Auranen, Mari, Tyynismaa, Henna, Udd, Bjarne, Forrest, Alistair R R, Davis, Mark R. ... Ravenscroft, Gianina (2022). Bi-allelic loss-of-function OBSCN variants predispose individuals to severe recurrent rhabdomyolysis. Brain, 145 (11), 3985-3998. doi: 10.1093/brain/awab484
2022
Journal Article
Lower hypothalamic volume with lower BMI is associated with shorter survival in patients with ALS
Chang, Jeryn, Shaw, Thomas B., Holdom, Cory J., McCombe, Pamela A., Henderson, Robert D., Fripp, Jurgen, Barth, Markus, Guo, Christine C., Ngo, Shyuan T. and Steyn, Frederik J. (2022). Lower hypothalamic volume with lower BMI is associated with shorter survival in patients with ALS. European Journal of Neurology, 30 (1), 57-68. doi: 10.1111/ene.15589
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Pamela McCombe is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Survival and heterogeneity in Motor Neurone Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Survival and heterogeneity in Motor Neurone Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Studies of neurophysiology of motor neurone disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
-
Master Philosophy
Neurophysiology of Motor Neurone disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
-
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
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Studies of myasthenia gravis using MGBase.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefan Blum
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
The role of Epstein-Barr virus infection in multiple sclerosis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Judith Greer
Completed supervision
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Defining the Clinical Phenotype of Autoantibody Associated Epilepsy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Kristen Radford
-
2022
Master Philosophy
Studies of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
Clinical and laboratory features of ALS
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson, Dr Aven Lee
-
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
-
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
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Pathogenesis of Guillain-Barre syndrome and chronic inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Judith Greer
-
2012
Doctor Philosophy
Biomarkers of Motor Neurone Disease : Neurophysiological studies of lower motor degeneration
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
-
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
-
2003
Doctor Philosophy
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION IN EXPERIMENTAL AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS
Principal Advisor
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Multimodal evaluation of autoimmune encephalitis in Queensland
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefan Blum
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Asymmetry and Vulnerability in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular analysis of the motor neuron disease-associated protein, TDP-43
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
For media enquiries about Professor Pamela McCombe's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team: