
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
2022
Journal Article
Disease reactivation after cessation of disease-modifying therapy in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Roos, Izanne, Malpas, Charles, Leray, Emmanuelle, Casey, Romain, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva Kubala, Debouverie, Marc, Patti, Francesco, De Seze, Jerome, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Eichau, Sara, Edan, Gilles, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc, Ozakbas, Serkan, Grammond, Pierre, Zephir, Helene, Ciron, Jonathan, Maillart, Elisabeth, Moreau, Thibault, Amato, Maria Pia, Labauge, Pierre, Alroughani, Raed, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Terzi, Murat, Laplaud, David Axel, Berger, Eric, Grand'maison, Francois ... Kalincik, Tomas (2022). Disease reactivation after cessation of disease-modifying therapy in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Neurology, 99 (17), E1926-E1944. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201029
2022
Journal Article
Potential mechanisms to modify impaired glucose metabolism in neurodegenerative disorders
McDonald, Tanya S., Lerskiatiphanich, Titaya, Woodruff, Trent M., McCombe, Pamela A. and Lee, John D. (2022). Potential mechanisms to modify impaired glucose metabolism in neurodegenerative disorders. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 43 (1), 26-43. doi: 10.1177/0271678x221135061
2022
Conference Publication
Latitude, UVR and multiple sclerosis severity
Vitkova, Marianna, Diouf, Ibrahima, Malpas, Charles, Barnett, Michael, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Butler, Ernest, Slee, Mark, Taylor, Bruce, Butzkueven, Helmut, Lechner-Scott, Jeanette, McCombe, Pamela, Vucic, Steve, Macdonell, Richard, Shaw, Cameron and Kalincik, Tomas (2022). Latitude, UVR and multiple sclerosis severity. ANZAN Annual Scientific Meeting 2022, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 10-13 May 2022. London, United Kingdom: BMJ. doi: 10.1136/bmjno-2022-anzan.29
2022
Conference Publication
Comparison of the effectiveness of ocrelizumab vs interferon β, fingolimod and natalizumab on relapses in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Roos, Izanne, Sharmin, Sifat, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Walt, Anneke van der, Butzkueven, Helmut, Butler, Ernest, MacDonell, Richard, McCombe, Pamela, Slee, Mark, Malpas, Charles and Kalincik, Tomas (2022). Comparison of the effectiveness of ocrelizumab vs interferon β, fingolimod and natalizumab on relapses in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. ANZAN Annual Scientific Meeting 2022, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 10-13 May 2022. London, United Kingdom: BMJ. doi: 10.1136/bmjno-2022-anzan.26
2022
Journal Article
Association of latitude and exposure to ultraviolet B radiation with severity of multiple sclerosis: An international registry study
Vitkova, Marianna, Diouf, Ibrahima, Malpas, Charles, Horakova, Dana, Kubala Havrdova, Eva, Patti, Francesco, Ozakbas, Serkan, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Eichau, Sara, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Onofrj, Marco, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Alroughani, Raed, Prat, Alexandre, Larochelle, Catherine, Girard, Marc, Duquette, Pierre, Terzi, Murat, Boz, Cavit, Grand'maison, Francois, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, Diana, Grammond, Pierre, Butzkueven, Helmut, Buzzard, Katherine, Skibina, Olga, Yamout, Bassem I., Karabudak, Rana, Gerlach, Oliver ... Kalincik, Tomas (2022). Association of latitude and exposure to ultraviolet B radiation with severity of multiple sclerosis: An international registry study. Neurology, 98 (24), E2401-E2412. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200545
2022
Journal Article
Confirmed disability progression as a marker of permanent disability in multiple sclerosis
Sharmin, Sifat, Bovis, Francesca, Malpas, Charles, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva Kubala, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Eichau, Sara, Trojano, Maria, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc, Duquette, Pierre, Onofrj, Marco, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Grand'Maison, Francois, Grammond, Pierre, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, Diana, Terzi, Murat, Gerlach, Oliver, Alroughani, Raed, Boz, Cavit, Shaygannejad, Vahid, van Pesch, Vincent, Cartechini, Elisabetta, Kappos, Ludwig, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Turkoglu, Recai, Solaro, Claudio ... Kalincik, Tomas (2022). Confirmed disability progression as a marker of permanent disability in multiple sclerosis. European Journal of Neurology, 29 (8), 2321-2334. doi: 10.1111/ene.15406
2022
Journal Article
Cloning of a new form of EAAT2/GLT-1 from human and rodent brains
Lee, A., Klinkradt, S., McCombe, P. A. and Pow, D. V. (2022). Cloning of a new form of EAAT2/GLT-1 from human and rodent brains. Neuroscience Letters, 780 136637, 136637. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136637
2022
Journal Article
HLA and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Nona, R. J., Greer, J. M., Henderson, R. D. and McCombe, P. A. (2022). HLA and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 24 (1-2), 1-9. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2022.2078665
2022
Journal Article
Impaired signaling for neuromuscular synaptic maintenance is a feature of Motor Neuron Disease
Ding, Qiao, Kesavan, Kaamini, Lee, Kah Meng, Wimberger, Elyse, Robertson, Thomas, Gill, Melinder, Power, Dominique, Chang, Jeryn, Fard, Atefeh T., Mar, Jessica C., Henderson, Robert D., Heggie, Susan, McCombe, Pamela A., Jeffree, Rosalind L., Colditz, Michael J., Hilliard, Massimo A., Ng, Dominic C. H., Steyn, Frederik J., Phillips, William D., Wolvetang, Ernst J., Ngo, Shyuan T. and Noakes, Peter G. (2022). Impaired signaling for neuromuscular synaptic maintenance is a feature of Motor Neuron Disease. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 10 (1) 61, 61. doi: 10.1186/s40478-022-01360-5
2022
Journal Article
Novel variants of ANO5 in two patients with limb girdle muscular dystrophy: Case Report
Katz, Matthew, Garton, Fleur C., Davis, Mark, Henderson, Robert D. and McCombe, Pamela A. (2022). Novel variants of ANO5 in two patients with limb girdle muscular dystrophy: Case Report. Frontiers in Neurology, 13 868655, 868655. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.868655
2022
Journal Article
The role of sex and pregnancy in multiple sclerosis: what do we know and what should we do?
McCombe, Pamela A. (2022). The role of sex and pregnancy in multiple sclerosis: what do we know and what should we do?. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 22 (5), 377-392. doi: 10.1080/14737175.2022.2060079
2022
Journal Article
Genome-wide study of DNA methylation shows alterations in metabolic, inflammatory, and cholesterol pathways in ALS
Hop, Paul J., Zwamborn, Ramona A.J., Hannon, Eilis, Shireby, Gemma L., Nabais, Marta F., Walker, Emma M., van Rheenen, Wouter, van Vugt, Joke J.F.A., Dekker, Annelot M., Westeneng, Henk-Jan, Tazelaar, Gijs H.P., van Eijk, Kristel R., Moisse, Matthieu, Baird, Denis, Al Khleifat, Ahmad, Iacoangeli, Alfredo, Ticozzi, Nicola, Ratti, Antonia, Cooper-Knock, Jonathan, Morrison, Karen E., Shaw, Pamela J., Basak, A. Nazli, Chiò, Adriano, Calvo, Andrea, Moglia, Cristina, Canosa, Antonio, Brunetti, Maura, Grassano, Maurizio, Gotkine, Marc ... Brain MEND Consortium (2022). Genome-wide study of DNA methylation shows alterations in metabolic, inflammatory, and cholesterol pathways in ALS. Science Translational Medicine, 14 (633) eabj0264, 1-15. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abj0264
2022
Journal Article
Response to treatment in NMOSD: the Australasian experience
Clarke, Laura, Bukhari, Wajih, O'Gorman, Cullen M., Khalilidehkordi, Elham, Arnett, Simon, Woodhall, Mark, Prain, Kerri M., Parratt, John D.E., Barnett, Michael H., Marriott, Mark P., McCombe, Pamela A., Sutton, Ian, Boggild, Mike, Brownlee, Wallace, Carroll, William M., Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Macdonell, Richard A.L., Mason, Deborah F., Pereira, Jennifer, Slee, Mark, Das, Chandi, Henderson, Andrew P.D., Kermode, Allan G., Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Waters, Patrick, Sun, Jing and Broadley, Simon A. (2022). Response to treatment in NMOSD: the Australasian experience. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 58 103408, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103408
2022
Journal Article
Author Correction: Common and rare variant association analyses in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis identify 15 risk loci with distinct genetic architectures and neuron-specific biology
van Rheenen, Wouter, van der Spek, Rick A. A., Bakker, Mark K., van Vugt, Joke J. F. A., Hop, Paul J., Zwamborn, Ramona A. J., de Klein, Niek, Westra, Harm-Jan, Bakker, Olivier B., Deelen, Patrick, Shireby, Gemma, Hannon, Eilis, Moisse, Matthieu, Baird, Denis, Restuadi, Restuadi, Dolzhenko, Egor, Dekker, Annelot M., Gawor, Klara, Westeneng, Henk-Jan, Tazelaar, Gijs H. P., van Eijk, Kristel R., Kooyman, Maarten, Byrne, Ross P., Doherty, Mark, Heverin, Mark, Al Khleifat, Ahmad, Iacoangeli, Alfredo, Shatunov, Aleksey, Ticozzi, Nicola ... SLAP Consortium (2022). Author Correction: Common and rare variant association analyses in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis identify 15 risk loci with distinct genetic architectures and neuron-specific biology. Nature Genetics, 54 (3), 361-361. doi: 10.1038/s41588-022-01020-3
2022
Journal Article
Functional characterisation of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis risk locus GPX3/TNIP1
Restuadi, Restuadi, Steyn, Frederik J., Kabashi, Edor, Ngo, Shyuan T., Cheng, Fei-Fei, Nabais, Marta F., Thompson, Mike J., Qi, Ting, Wu, Yang, Henders, Anjali K., Wallace, Leanne, Bye, Chris R., Turner, Bradley J., Ziser, Laura, Mathers, Susan, McCombe, Pamela A., Needham, Merrilee, Schultz, David, Kiernan, Matthew C., van Rheenen, Wouter, van den Berg, Leonard H., Veldink, Jan H., Ophoff, Roel, Gusev, Alexander, Zaitlen, Noah, McRae, Allan F., Henderson, Robert D., Wray, Naomi R., Giacomotto, Jean and Garton, Fleur C. (2022). Functional characterisation of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis risk locus GPX3/TNIP1. Genome Medicine, 14 (1) 7, 7. doi: 10.1186/s13073-021-01006-6
2022
Book Chapter
Biofluid biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Holdom, Cory J., Steyn, Frederik J., Henderson, Robert D., McCombe, Pamela A., Rogers, Mary-Louise and Ngo, Shyuan T. (2022). Biofluid biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurodegenerative diseases biomarkers: towards translating research to clinical practice. (pp. 263-306) edited by Philip V. Peplow, Bridget Martinez and Thomas A. Gennarelli. New York, United States: Springer . doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1712-0_11
2021
Journal Article
Common and rare variant association analyses in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis identify 15 risk loci with distinct genetic architectures and neuron-specific biology
van Rheenen, Wouter, van der Spek, Rick A. A., Bakker, Mark K., van Vugt, Joke J. F. A., Hop, Paul J., Zwamborn, Ramona A. J., de Klein, Niek, Westra, Harm-Jan, Bakker, Olivier B., Deelen, Patrick, Shireby, Gemma, Hannon, Eilis, Moisse, Matthieu, Baird, Denis, Restuadi, Restuadi, Dolzhenko, Egor, Dekker, Annelot M., Gawor, Klara, Westeneng, Henk-Jan, Tazelaar, Gijs H. P., van Eijk, Kristel R., Kooyman, Maarten, Byrne, Ross P., Doherty, Mark, Heverin, Mark, Al Khleifat, Ahmad, Iacoangeli, Alfredo, Shatunov, Aleksey, Ticozzi, Nicola ... SLAP Consortium (2021). Common and rare variant association analyses in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis identify 15 risk loci with distinct genetic architectures and neuron-specific biology. Nature Genetics, 53 (12), 1636-1648. doi: 10.1038/s41588-021-00973-1
2021
Journal Article
Venous creatinine as a biomarker for loss of fat‐free mass and disease progression in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Holdom, Cory J., Janse van Mantgem, Mark R., van Eijk, Ruben P.A., Howe, Stephanie L., van den Berg, Leonard H., McCombe, Pamela A., Henderson, Robert D., Ngo, Shyuan T. and Steyn, Frederik J. (2021). Venous creatinine as a biomarker for loss of fat‐free mass and disease progression in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. European Journal of Neurology, 28 (11) ene.15003, 3615-3625. doi: 10.1111/ene.15003
2021
Journal Article
Phase 1b dose-escalation, safety, and pharmacokinetic study of IC14, a monoclonal antibody against CD14, for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Henderson, Robert D., Agosti, Jan M., McCombe, Pamela A., Thorpe, Kathryn, Heggie, Susan, Heshmat, Saman, Appleby, Mark W., Ziegelaar, Brian W., Crowe, David T. and Redlich, Garry L. (2021). Phase 1b dose-escalation, safety, and pharmacokinetic study of IC14, a monoclonal antibody against CD14, for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Medicine, 100 (42), e27421. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000027421
2021
Journal Article
Efficacy of Cladribine Tablets as a Treatment for People With Multiple Sclerosis: Protocol for the CLOBAS Study (Cladribine, a Multicenter, Long-term Efficacy and Biomarker Australian Study)
Maltby, Vicki E, Lea, Rodney A, Monif, Mastura, Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena J, Buzzard, Katherine, Kalincik, Tomas, Kermode, Allan G, Taylor, Bruce, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, McCombe, Pamela, Butzkueven, Helmut, Barnett, Michael and Lechner-Scott, Jeannette (2021). Efficacy of Cladribine Tablets as a Treatment for People With Multiple Sclerosis: Protocol for the CLOBAS Study (Cladribine, a Multicenter, Long-term Efficacy and Biomarker Australian Study). JMIR Research Protocols, 10 (10) e24969, e24969. doi: 10.2196/24969
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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