
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
2019
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, E. G., Achiron, A., Compston, D. A. S., Derwenskus, J., Devonshire, V., Hellwig, K., Hutton, G. J., McCombe, P., Moore, M., Oh, J., Simm, R. F., Sousa, L., Vincent, S. G., Chung, L., Daizadeh, N., Mitchell, C. and Rog, D. (2019). 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. 35th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) / 24th Annual Conference of Rehabilitation in MS, Stockholm Sweden, 11-13 September 2019. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.
2018
Journal Article
The short and long-term effects of pregnancy on multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
McCombe, Pamela A. (2018). The short and long-term effects of pregnancy on multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7 (12) 494, 494. doi: 10.3390/jcm7120494
2018
Journal Article
Association of inflammation and disability accrual in patients with progressive-onset multiple sclerosis
Hughes, Jordana, Jokubaitis, Vilija, Lugaresi, Alessandra, Hupperts, Raymond, Izquierdo, Guillermo, Prat, Alexandre, Girard, Marc, Duquette, Pierre, Grand'maison, Francois, Grammond, Pierre, Sola, Patrizia, Ferraro, DIana, Ramo-Tello, Cristina, Trojano, Maria, Slee, Mark, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Boz, Cavit, Lechner-Scott, Jeanette, Van Pesch, Vincent, Pucci, Eugenio, Solaro, Claudio, Verheul, Freek, Terzi, Murat, Granella, Franco, Spitaleri, Daniele, Alroughani, Raed, Jun, Jae-Kwan, Fambiatos, Adam, Van Der Walt, Anneke ... Hinson, Eloise (2018). Association of inflammation and disability accrual in patients with progressive-onset multiple sclerosis. JAMA Neurology, 75 (11), 1407-1415. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.2109
2018
Conference Publication
Clinical and therapeutic predictors of relapse and disability outcomes in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
Kunchok, A., Malpas, C., Horakova, D., Havrdova, E., Alroughani, R., Terzi, M., Yamout, B., Karabudak, R., Boz, C., Ozakbas, S., Olascoagam, J., Simon, M., Granellau, F., McCombe, P., Csepanym, T., Bergamaschi, R., Fragoso, Y., Al-Harbin, T., Turkoglu, R., Lechner-Scott, J., Laureys, G., Pucci, E., Sola, P., Ferraro, D., Altintas, A., Grand'Maison, F., Izquierdo, G., Eichau, S., Lugaresi, A. ... Kalincik, T. (2018). Clinical and therapeutic predictors of relapse and disability outcomes in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. 34th Congress of the European-Committee-for-Treatment-and-Research-in-Multiple-Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Berlin Germany, Oct 10-12, 2018. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2018
Conference Publication
Disability outcomes in patients with early cerebellar symptoms in multiple sclerosis
Le, M. V. H., Malpas, C., Sharmin, S., Horakova, D., Havrdova, E. K., Trojano, M., Izquierdo, G., Eichau, S., Ozakbas, S., Lugaresi, A., Prat, A., Girard, M., Duquette, P., Alroughani, R., Bergamaschi, R., Sola, P., Grammond, P., Grand'Maison, F., Terzi, M., Boz, C., Hupperts, R., Butzkueven, H., Van der Walt, A., Pucci, E., Granella, F., Van Pesch, V., Soysa, A., Yamout, B., Lechner-Scott, J. ... Kalincik, T. (2018). Disability outcomes in patients with early cerebellar symptoms in multiple sclerosis. 34th Congress of the European-Committee-for-Treatment-and-Research-in-Multiple-Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Berlin Germany, Oct 10-12, 2018. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2018
Conference Publication
Early clinical predictors of severe MS
Malpas, C., Sharmin, S., Horakova, D., Havrdova, E. K., Trojano, M., Izquierdo, G., Bergamaschi, R., Sola, P., Ferraro, D., Lugaresi, A., Prat, A., Girard, M., Duquette, P., Grammond, P., Grand'Maison, F., Ozakbas, S., Van Pesch, V., Granella, F., Hupperts, R., Pucci, E., Boz, C., Iuliano, G., Sidhom, Y., Gouider, R., Spitaleri, D., Butzkueven, H., Soysal, A., Petersen, T., Verheul, F. ... Kalincik, T. (2018). Early clinical predictors of severe MS. 34th Congress of the European-Committee-for-Treatment-and-Research-in-Multiple-Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Berlin Germany, Oct 10-12, 2018. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2018
Conference Publication
Comparative effectiveness of switching to natalizumab or fingolimod after relapse on first-line relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis therapy: propensity score matching analysis from the MSBase registry
Spelman, T., Harvrdova, E. K., Horakova, D., Izquierdo, G., Kalincik, T., Lugaresi, A., Onofrj, M., Duquette, P., Girard, M., Prat, A., Grammond, P., Grand'Maison, F., Granella, F., Lechner-Scott, J., Sola, P., Ferrero, D., Sa, M. J., Terzi, M., Ozakbas, S., Van Pesch, V., Van Wijmeersch, B., Boz, C., Karabudak, R., Cartechini, E., McCombe, P. and Butzkueven, H. (2018). Comparative effectiveness of switching to natalizumab or fingolimod after relapse on first-line relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis therapy: propensity score matching analysis from the MSBase registry. 34th Congress of the European-Committee-for-Treatment-and-Research-in-Multiple-Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Berlin Germany, Oct 10-12, 2018. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2018
Conference Publication
Alemtuzumab improves clinical and MRI disease activity outcomes, including slowing of brain volume loss, in RRMS patients over 8 years: CARE-MS I follow-up (TOPAZ study)
Comi, G., Arnold, D. L., Boyko, A. N., Hartung, H. -P., Havrdova, E. K., Inshasi, J. S., McCombe, P., Oreja-Guevara, C., Pelletier, D., Pozzilli, C., Selmaj, K. W., Scott, T. F., Chung, L., Daizadeh, N., Afsar, S., Nakamura, K. and Van Wijmeersch, B. (2018). Alemtuzumab improves clinical and MRI disease activity outcomes, including slowing of brain volume loss, in RRMS patients over 8 years: CARE-MS I follow-up (TOPAZ study). 34th Congress of the European-Committee-for-Treatment-and-Research-in-Multiple-Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Berlin Germany, Oct 10-12, 2018. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2018
Conference Publication
Determinants of MS re-activation after discontinuing therapies
Husin, H., Wallace, J., Malpas, C., Sharmin, S., Horakova, D., Havrdova, E. Kubala, Izquierdo, G., Eichau, S., Prat, A., Girard, M., Duquette, P., Trojano, M., Grammond, P., Lugaresi, A., Onofrj, M., Ozakbas, S., Butzkueven, H., Sola, P., Ferraro, D., Alroughani, R., Grand'Maison, F., Terzi, M., Lechner-Scott, J., Boz, C., Hupperts, R., Shaygannejad, V., Bergamaschi, R., Pucci, E., Van Pesch, V. ... Kalincik, T. (2018). Determinants of MS re-activation after discontinuing therapies. 34th Congress of the European-Committee-for-Treatment-and-Research-in-Multiple-Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), Berlin Germany, Oct 10-12, 2018. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
2018
Journal Article
Genome-wide association study in Guillain-Barré syndrome
Blum, Stefan, Ji, Ying, Pennisi, David, Li, Zhixiu, Leo, Paul, McCombe, Pamela and Brown, Matthew A. (2018). Genome-wide association study in Guillain-Barré syndrome. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 323, 109-114. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2018.07.016
2018
Journal Article
Increased constitutive activation of NF-κB p65 (RelA) in peripheral blood cells of patients with progressive multiple sclerosis
Yan, Jun, Winterford, Clay M., Catts, Vibeke S., Pat, Betty K., Pender, Michael P., McCombe, Pamela A. and Greer, Judith M. (2018). Increased constitutive activation of NF-κB p65 (RelA) in peripheral blood cells of patients with progressive multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 320, 111-116. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2018.04.002
2018
Journal Article
Hypermetabolism in ALS is associated with greater functional decline and shorter survival
Steyn, Frederik J., Ioannides, Zara A., van Eijk, Ruben P. A., Heggie, Susan, Thorpe, Kathryn A., Ceslis, Amelia, Heshmat, Saman, Henders, Anjali K., Wray, Naomi R., van den Berg, Leonard H., Henderson, Robert D., McCombe, Pamela A. and Ngo, Shyuan T. (2018). Hypermetabolism in ALS is associated with greater functional decline and shorter survival. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 89 (10), jnnp-2017. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2017-317887
2018
Conference Publication
Durable Efficacy and Safety With Alemtuzumab in CARE-MS I Patients Switching From SC IFNB-1a: 5-Year Follow-up (TOPAZ Study)
Steingo, Brian, Oreja-Guevara, Celia, Alroughani, Raed, Brassat, David, Boyko, Alexey N., McCombe, Pamela, Van Wijmeersch, Bart, Margolin, David H., Melanson, Maria, Daizadeh, Nadia, Rodriguez, Claudio E. and Vermersch, Patrick (2018). Durable Efficacy and Safety With Alemtuzumab in CARE-MS I Patients Switching From SC IFNB-1a: 5-Year Follow-up (TOPAZ Study). AAN 70th Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA United States, 21-27 April 2018. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.90.15_supplement.p6.366
2018
Conference Publication
Presentation of Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) in patients from different racial groups: analysis of the global NMOBase Registry
Kister, Ilya, Bacon, Tamar, Shaygannejad, Vahid, Havrdova, Eva, Alroughani, Raed, Terzi, Murat, Altintas, Ayse, Hor, Jyh Yung, Al-Harbi, Talal, Boz, Cavit, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Ozakbas, Serkan, Ferraro, Diana, Fragoso, Yara, Laureys, Guy, Soysal, Aysun, Majdinassab, Nastaran, Onofrj, Marco, Pucci, Eugenio, Vucic, Ostoja (Steve), Slee, Mark, Lechner-Scott, Jeannette, Rojas, Juan Ignacio, Burgos, Marcos, Castillo Trivino, Tamara, Reid, Allyson, Rimler, Zoe, McCombe, Pamela, Granella, Franco ... Butzkueven, Helmut (2018). Presentation of Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) in patients from different racial groups: analysis of the global NMOBase Registry. 70th Annual Meeting of the American-Academy-of-Neurology (AAN), Los Angeles Ca, Apr 21-27, 2018. PHILADELPHIA: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS.
2018
Conference Publication
Durable Clinical Efficacy of Alemtuzumab in Patients With Active RRMS in the Absence of Continuous Treatment: 7-Year Follow-up of CARE-MS I Patients (TOPAZ Study)
Vermersch, Patrick, Coles, Alasdair J., Boyko, Alexey N., De Seze, Jérôme, Hartung, Hans-Peter, Havrdova, Eva, Inshasi, Jihad Said, McCombe, Pamela, Montalban, Xavier, Pozzilli, Carlo, Selmaj, Krzysztof W., Margolin, David H., Melanson, Maria, Daizadeh, Nadia, Rodriguez, Claudio E. and Van Wijmeersch, Bart (2018). Durable Clinical Efficacy of Alemtuzumab in Patients With Active RRMS in the Absence of Continuous Treatment: 7-Year Follow-up of CARE-MS I Patients (TOPAZ Study). AAN 70th Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA United States, 21-27 April 2018. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.90.15_supplement.p6.376
2018
Journal Article
A combined tract-based spatial statistics and voxel-based morphometry study of the first MRI scan after diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with subgroup analysis
Alruwaili, A. R., Pannek, K., Coulthard, A., Henderson, R., Kurniawan, N. D. and McCombe, P. (2018). A combined tract-based spatial statistics and voxel-based morphometry study of the first MRI scan after diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with subgroup analysis. Journal of Neuroradiology, 45 (1), 41-48. doi: 10.1016/j.neurad.2017.03.007
2018
Journal Article
Mass spectrometry analysis of plasma from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and control subjects
Xu, Zhouwei, Lee, Aven, Nouwens, Amanda, David Henderson, Robert and Mccombe, Pamela Ann (2018). Mass spectrometry analysis of plasma from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and control subjects. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 19 (5-6), 1-15. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2018.1433689
2018
Conference Publication
Alemtuzumab provides durable clinical efficacy in patients with active rrms in the absence of continuous treatment: 7-Year follow-up of CARE-MS I (TOPAZ Study)
Van Wijmeersch, B., Vermersch, P., Boyko, A., de Seze, J., Hartung, H. -P., Havrdova, E. Kubala, Inshasi, J. Said, McCombe, P., Montalban, X., Pozzili, C., Melanson, M., Daizadeh, N., Rodriguez, C. and Selmaj, K. (2018). Alemtuzumab provides durable clinical efficacy in patients with active rrms in the absence of continuous treatment: 7-Year follow-up of CARE-MS I (TOPAZ Study). 4th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), Lisbon, Portugal, 16-19 June 2018. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2018
Conference Publication
Durable Efficacy and Safety With Alemtuzumab in CARE-MS I Patients Switching From SC IFNB-1a: 5-Year Follow-up (TOPAZ Study)
Steingo, Brian, Oreja-Guevara, Celia, Alroughani, Raed, Brassat, David, Boyko, Alexey N., McCombe, Pamela, Van Wijmeersch, Bart, Margolin, David H., Melanson, Maria, Daizadeh, Nadia, Rodriguez, Claudio E. and Vermersch, Patrick (2018). Durable Efficacy and Safety With Alemtuzumab in CARE-MS I Patients Switching From SC IFNB-1a: 5-Year Follow-up (TOPAZ Study). 70th Annual Meeting of the American-Academy-of-Neurology (AAN), Los Angeles, CA, United States, Apr 21-27, 2018. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
2018
Conference Publication
Durable improvements in clinical outcomes with alemtuzumab in patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in the absence of continuous treatment: 7-year follow-up of CARE-MS I patients (TOPAZ study)
Inshasi, Jihad Said, Boyko, Alexey N., De Seze, Jerome, Hartung, Hans-Peter, Havrdova, Eva, McCombe, Pamela, Montalban, Xavier, Pozzilli, Carlo, Vermersch, Patrick and Margolin, David H. (2018). Durable improvements in clinical outcomes with alemtuzumab in patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in the absence of continuous treatment: 7-year follow-up of CARE-MS I patients (TOPAZ study). 3rd Congress of Middle East North Africa Committee for Research and Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis (MENACTRIMS), Dubai, UAE, 24-25 November 2017 . London, United Kingdom : Sage Publications.
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
-
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
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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
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
-
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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