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
2020
Journal Article
The peripheral immune system and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
McCombe, Pamela A., Lee, John D., Woodruff, Trent M. and Henderson, Robert D. (2020). The peripheral immune system and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Frontiers in Neurology, 11 279, 279. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00279
2020
Journal Article
The potential interplay between energy metabolism and innate complement activation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
McDonald, Tanya S., McCombe, Pamela A., Woodruff, Trent M. and Lee, John D. (2020). The potential interplay between energy metabolism and innate complement activation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The FASEB Journal, 34 (6) fj.201901781, 7225-7233. doi: 10.1096/fj.201901781
2020
Conference Publication
Predicting Long-Term Sustained Disability Progression in Multiple Sclerosis
Sharmin, Sifat, Bovis, Francesca, Malpas, Charles, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva, Ayuso, Guillermo Izquierdo, 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, Hupperts, R. M. M., Alroughani, Raed, Boz, Cavit, Shaygannejad, Vijay, Van Pesch, Vincent, Kappos, Ludwig, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Turkoglu, Recai, Solaro, Claudio, Ramo-Tello, Cristina ... Kalincik, Tomas (2020). Predicting Long-Term Sustained Disability Progression in Multiple Sclerosis. Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Toronto, Canada, 25 April-1 May 2020. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
2020
Conference Publication
Cladribine: a multicentre LOng-term efficacy Biomarker Australian Study (CLOBAS)
Maltby, Vicki, Lydon, Amanda, Monif, Mastura, Kilpatrick, Trevor, Butzkueven, Helmut, Taylor, Bruce, McCombe, Pamela, Hodgkinson, Suzanne, Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena, Kermode, Allan, Barnett, Michael, Kalincik, Tomas and Lechner-Scott, Jeannette (2020). Cladribine: a multicentre LOng-term efficacy Biomarker Australian Study (CLOBAS). 2020 AAN Science Highlights, Online, 14 April 2020. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.94.15_supplement.5285
2020
Conference Publication
Determinants of Therapeutic Lag in Multiple Sclerosis
Roos, Izanne, Leray, Emmanuelle, Frascoli, Federico, Casey, Romain, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva, Trojano, Maria, Ayuso, Guillermo Izquierdo, Madueno, Sara Eichau, Patti, Francesco, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc, Duquette, Pierre, Onofrj, Marco, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Grammond, Pierre, Ozakbas, Serkan, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, Diana, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Cartechini, Elisabetta, Sa, Maria Jose, Boz, Cavit, Grand-Maison, Francois, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Terzi, Murat, Granella, Franco, Alroughani, Raed, Iuliano, Gerardo ... Kalincik, Tomas (2020). Determinants of Therapeutic Lag in Multiple Sclerosis. Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Toronto, Canada, 25 April-1 May 2020. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
2020
Conference Publication
Real world safety of Alemtuzumab in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis – Australian cohort study
Corbett, Joel, Blum, Stefan, Boggild, Mike, Broadley, Simon and McCombe, Pamela (2020). Real world safety of Alemtuzumab in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis – Australian cohort study. 2020 AAN Science Highlights, Online, 14 April 2020. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.94.15_supplement.1499
2020
Conference Publication
Immunotherapies Improve Long-Term Disability Outcomes in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Kalincik, Tomas, Diouf, Ibrahima, Malpas, Charles, Horakova, Dana, Havrdova, Eva, Trojano, Maria, Ayuso, Guillermo Izquierdo, Eichau, Sara, Onofrj, Marco, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc, Duquette, Pierre, Grammond, Pierre, Grand'Maison, Francois, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, Diana, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Alroughani, Raed, Hupperts, R. M. M., Terzi, Murat, Boz, Cavit, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Cartechini, Elisabetta, Van Pesch, Vincent, Iuliano, Gerardo, Granella, Franco, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Fernandez Bolanos, Ricardo ... Butzkueven, Helmut (2020). Immunotherapies Improve Long-Term Disability Outcomes in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Toronto, Canada, 25 April-1 May 2020. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
2020
Conference Publication
Postpartum Relapse After First On-Study Pregnancy in RRMS Patients Treated With Alemtuzumab in the Phase 2 and 3 Clinical Development Program Over 8 Years
Celius, Elisabeth G., Oh, Jiwon, Achiron, Anat, Compston, D Alastair S., Devonshire, Virginia, Hellwig, Kerstin, Hutton, George J., McCombe, Pamela, Moore, Marie, Simm, Renata Faria, Sousa, Livia, Vincent, Stephen G., Chung, Luke, Daizadeh, Nadia, Mitchell, Colin and Rog, David (2020). Postpartum Relapse After First On-Study Pregnancy in RRMS Patients Treated With Alemtuzumab in the Phase 2 and 3 Clinical Development Program Over 8 Years. 2020 AAN Science Highlights, Online, 14 April 2020. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.94.15_supplement.169
2020
Conference Publication
Determinants of Therapeutic Lag in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis
Roos, I., Frascoli, F., Horakova, D., Havrdova, E. Kubala, Trojano, M., Izquierdo, G., Eichau, S., Patti, F., Prat, A., Girard, M., Duquette, P., Onofrj, M., Lugaresi, A., Grammond, P., Ozakbas, S., Sola, P., Ferraro, D., Bergamaschi, R., Cartechini, E., Sa, M. Jose, Boz, C., Grand'Maison, F., Lechner-Scott, J., Terzi, M., Granella, F., Alroughani, R., Iuliano, G., Hupperts, R., Spitaleri, D. ... Kalincik, T. (2020). Determinants of Therapeutic Lag in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis. Conference of MS Research Australia, Melbourne, Australia, 31 October-1 November 2019. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.
2020
Conference Publication
Low dose Rituximab in the treatment of myasthenia gravis
Chan, Fiona, Swayne, Andrew, Gillis, David, Wong, Richard, Walsh, Michael, Henderson, Robert, McCombe, Pamela and Blum, Stefan (2020). Low dose Rituximab in the treatment of myasthenia gravis. 18th Biennial Clinical Neurophysiology Workshop of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 29 September–2 October 2019. E Park, Shannon, Ireland: Elsevier . doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.11.034
2020
Journal Article
Significant out-of-sample classification from methylation profile scoring for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Nabais, Marta F., Lin, Tian, Benyamin, Beben, Williams, Kelly L., Garton, Fleur C., Vinkhuyzen, Anna A. E., Zhang, Futao, Vallerga, Costanza L., Restuadi, Restuadi, Freydenzon, Anna, Zwamborn, Ramona A. J., Hop, Paul J., Robinson, Matthew R., Gratten, Jacob, Visscher, Peter M., Hannon, Eilis, Mill, Jonathan, Brown, Matthew A., Laing, Nigel G., Mather, Karen A., Sachdev, Perminder S., Ngo, Shyuan T., Steyn, Frederik J., Wallace, Leanne, Henders, Anjali K., Needham, Merrilee, Veldink, Jan H., Mathers, Susan, Nicholson, Garth ... Wray, Naomi R. (2020). Significant out-of-sample classification from methylation profile scoring for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. npj Genomic Medicine, 5 (1) 10, 1-9. doi: 10.1038/s41525-020-0118-3
2020
Journal Article
Plasma from some patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis exhibits elevated formaldehyde levels
Lee, Aven, Arachchige, Buddhika Jayakody, Reed, Sarah, Henderson, Robert, Aylward, James and McCombe, Pamela Ann (2020). Plasma from some patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis exhibits elevated formaldehyde levels. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 409 116589, 116589. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2019.116589
2020
Journal Article
Monocytes and neutrophils are associated with clinical features in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
McGill, Raquel B., Steyn, Frederik J., Ngo, Shyuan T., Thorpe, Kathryn A., Heggie, Susan, Ruitenberg, Marc J., Henderson, Robert D., McCombe, Pamela A. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2020). Monocytes and neutrophils are associated with clinical features in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Communications, 2 (1) fcaa013, fcaa013. doi: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa013
2020
Journal Article
Cylindrical spirals in two families: clinical and genetic investigations
Beecroft, Sarah J., Olive, Montse, Gonzalez Quereda, Lidia, Gallano, Pia, Ojanguren, Isabel, McLean, Catriona, McCombe, Pamela, Laing, Nigel G. and Ravenscroft, Gianina (2020). Cylindrical spirals in two families: clinical and genetic investigations. Neuromuscular Disorders, 30 (2), 151-158. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2019.12.006
2020
Journal Article
Clinical and therapeutic predictors of disease outcomes in AQP4-IgG+ neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
Kunchok, Amy, Malpas, Charles, Nytrova, Petra, Havrdova, Eva Kubala, Alroughani, Raed, Terzi, Murat, Yamout, Bassem, Hor, Jyh Yung, Karabudak, Rana, Boz, Cavit, Ozakbas, Serkan, Olascoaga, Javier, Simo, Magdolna, Granella, Franco, Patti, Francesco, McCombe, Pamela, Csepany, Tunde, Singhal, Bhim, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Fragoso, Yara, Al-Harbi, Talal, Turkoglu, Recai, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Laureys, Guy, Oreja-Guevara, Celia, Pucci, Eugenio, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, Diana, Altintas, Ayse ... Kalincik, Tomas (2020). Clinical and therapeutic predictors of disease outcomes in AQP4-IgG+ neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 38 101868, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2019.101868
2020
Journal Article
The clinical profile of NMOSD in Australia and New Zealand
Bukhari, Wajih, Clarke, Laura, O’Gorman, Cullen, Khalilidehkordi, Elham, Arnett, Simon, Prain, Kerri M., Woodhall, Mark, Silvestrini, Roger, Bundell, Christine S., Ramanathan, Sudarshini, Abernethy, David, Bhuta, Sandeep, Blum, Stefan, Boggild, Mike, Boundy, Karyn, Brew, Bruce J., Brownlee, Wallace, Butzkueven, Helmut, Carroll, William M., Chen, Celia, Coulthard, Alan, Dale, Russell C., Das, Chandi, Dear, Keith, Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena J., Fulcher, David, Gillis, David, Hawke, Simon, Heard, Robert ... Broadley, Simon A. (2020). The clinical profile of NMOSD in Australia and New Zealand. Journal of Neurology, 267 (5), 1431-1443. doi: 10.1007/s00415-020-09716-4
2020
Conference Publication
Postpartum Relapse After First On-Study Pregnancy in RRMS Patients Treated With Alemtuzumab in the Phase 2 and 3 Clinical Development Program Over 8 Years
Celius, Elisabeth G., Oh, Jiwon, Achiron, Anat, Compston, D. Alastair S., Devonshire, Virginia, Hellwig, Kerstin, Hutton, George J., McCombe, Pamela, Moore, Marie, Simm, Renata Faria, Sousa, Livia, Vincent, Stephen G., Chung, Luke, Daizadeh, Nadia, Mitchell, Colin and Rog, David (2020). Postpartum Relapse After First On-Study Pregnancy in RRMS Patients Treated With Alemtuzumab in the Phase 2 and 3 Clinical Development Program Over 8 Years. Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Toronto, Canada, 25 April - 1 May 2020. Philadelphia, PA United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
2020
Journal Article
Progression and survival of patients with motor neuron disease relative to their fecal microbiota
Ngo, Shyuan T., Restuadi, Restuadi, McCrea, Allan F., Van Eijk, Ruben P., Garton, Fleur, Henderson, Robert D., Wray, Naomi R., McCombe, Pamela A. and Steyn, Frederik J. (2020). Progression and survival of patients with motor neuron disease relative to their fecal microbiota. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 21 (7-8), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1772825
2020
Journal Article
Human brain neurons express a novel splice variant of excitatory amino acid transporter 5 (hEAAT5v)
Lee, Aven, Balcar, Vladimir J., McCombe, Pamela and Pow, David V. (2020). Human brain neurons express a novel splice variant of excitatory amino acid transporter 5 (hEAAT5v). Journal of Comparative Neurology, 528 (17) cne.24907, 3134-3142. doi: 10.1002/cne.24907
2020
Conference Publication
Cladribine: a multicentre Long-term efficacy Biomarker Australian Study (CLOBAS)
L-Scott, J., Maltby, V., Lydon, A., Monif, M., Kilpatrick, T., Butzkueven, H., Taylor, B., McCombe, P., Hodgkinson, S., Fabis-Pedrini, M., Kermode, A., Barnett, M. and Kalincik, Tomas (2020). Cladribine: a multicentre Long-term efficacy Biomarker Australian Study (CLOBAS). Conference of the Pan Asian Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (PACTRIMS), Singapore, Singapore, 13-15 November 2019. London, United Kingdom: Sage.
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
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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Master Philosophy
Neurophysiology of Motor Neurone disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Robert Henderson
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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 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
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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