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Dr Gordon’s research is focused on the formation and maintenance of the blood and lymphatic vascular systems. Vessels form complex branched networks that supply oxygen and nutrients to all body tissues. The signals controlling blood vessel expansion, identity and migration are all downstream of a single, common complex at the cell surface, yet exactly how this diverse range of functions is differentially regulated, depending on the physiological need, remains unknown.

The specific focus of Dr Gordon’s research is to determine the precise molecular signals that control cell adhesion within the vessel wall the surrounding environment. If the signals controlling cell adhesion become deregulated, normal vessel growth and function is lost. This contributes to the progression of a wide range of human diseases, including cancer growth and metastasis, diabetic eye disease and stroke. Dr Gordon aims to use novel biological models, biochemical assays and imaging techniques to better understand vessel biology, which will enable improved treatment of disease and aid in the development of vascularised, bioengineered organs.

Dr Gordon received her Bachelor of Science (2005) and PhD (2011) from The University of Adelaide, after which she undertook six years of postdoctoral studies at Yale University in the USA and Uppsala University in Sweden. With the support of an ARC DECRA Fellowship, Dr Gordon relocated to IMB in 2017 to establish her independent research career as an IMB Fellow. In 2019, she was appointed as Group Leader of the Vessel Dynamics Laboratory.

Dr. Wenyi Gu’s early education was conducted in China which include his undergraduate and master’s degrees in veterinary medicine. In 1996, he migrated to Australia and pursued his PhD study in biochemistry & molecular biology at the Australian National University (ANU). After a short period of work at John Curtin Medical School ANU as a junior scientist, he moved to Brisbane in 2001 for his post-doc at the University of Queensland and currently a post-doctoral research fellow at AIBN. He held a Peter Doherty Fellowship (2006-2009) and was further supported by NHMRC to spend 7 months at Harvard University as a visiting fellow in 2008. Since his post-doctoral research he has been working in the area of using RNAi to treat viral diseases and cancers. He also has a strong background in immunology and vaccine development.

I lead a research program with extensive expertise in immunology, particularly in natural killer (NK) cells, focused on developing innovative approaches for treating hard-to-cure diseases like metastatic cancers. Our mission is to improve patient outcomes and extend lives. My research group is based at the Translational Research Institute (TRI).

My dedication to my field has been recognized through numerous peer-reviwed grants as sole-CI or CIA/Principal Investigator, including a NHMRC ECF Peter Doherty Fellowship, an NHMRC Project Grant, an US DoD, a MRFF EMCR among others. Since 2009, I've amassed an impressive portfolio of 96 publications in renowned journals like Blood, Cell Death Dis, JEM, PNAS, Nat Comms, and Nat Immunol with an H-index = 40. My body of work and contributions have been acknowledged with awards such as the 2019 Researcher of the Year by CCA, 2020 QLD Young Tall Poppy Science, 2020 UQ Frazer Institute's Rising Star, 2022 Frazer Institute's Mentor of the Year, 2023 Translational Research Institute - Connecting with the Clinic among others. Recognized as an international leader in my field, I've been instrumental in identifying novel regulators of our immune functions, and developing NK cell-based immunotherapies.

At present, I am a Group Leader / Principal Research Fellow & Associate Professor with the University of Queensland's Frazer Institute. Here, I lead a high-performing research team with a keen focus on developing and innovating immunotherapy approaches for a spectrum of diseases.

Associate Professor Emma Hamilton-Williams’ career focuses on understanding how immune tolerance is disrupted leading to the development of the autoimmune disease type 1 diabetes. She received her PhD from the Australian National University in 2001, followed by postdoctoral training in Germany and the Scripps Research Institute in the USA.

In 2012, she started a laboratory at the Frazer Institute, University of Queensland where she investigates the gut microbiota as a potential trigger or therapy target for type 1 diabetes, as well as developing an immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes. The overall aim of her research is to find new ways to prevent or treat the underlying immune dysfunction causing autoimmunity.

She is Chief Scientific Officer for an Australia-wide pregnancy-birth cohort study of children at increased risk of type 1 diabetes, which aims to uncover the environmental drivers of this disease. Her laboratory uses big-data approaches including proteomics, metabolomics and metagenomics to understand the function of the gut microbiota linked to disease.

She recently conducted a clinical trial of a microbiome-targeting biotherapy aimed at restoring a healthy microbiome and immune tolerance, with an ultimate aim of preventing type 1 diabetes.

I graduated with Honours in Medicine from the University of the West Indies, Jamaica, in 1992. In 1997 I relocated to the UK where I specialised in Obstetrics & Gynaecology and was admitted as a Member of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists in 1999. In 2012 I gained dual accreditation as a Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine & Surgery and was admitted to the European Specialist Register. In 2012, I was appointed Senior Lecturer and Consultant in Reproductive Medicine & Surgery at University College London (UCL) and UCL Hospitals where I was the clinical lead for IVF and Recurrent Miscarriage and the scientific lead for Mammalian Oocyte Research within UCL’s Institute for Women’s Health. In January 2014 I relocated to Australia after being recruited to UNSW through the DVCR’s Strategic Priority Funding Scheme. At UNSW I jointly set up and co-directed UNSW’s first oocyte biology research lab. In January 2016, following a competitive global search, I was appointed to the fully endowed Christopher Chen Chair in Reproductive Medicine at UQ where I currently head the Christopher Chen Oocyte Research Laboratory. Since relocating to Australia I have been awarded Fellowship of the Royal Australian NZ College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists.

In parallel with clinical activity, I have developed an internationally leading research program investigating oocyte maturation and oocyte quality. My Ph.D was awarded in 2009 from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK) and received a Dean’s commendation. My thesis investigated the regulation of chromosome segregation in mouse and human oocytes and was funded by a WellBeing of Women Research Training Fellowship. My post-doctoral research was undertaken at UCL funded by a prestigious Wellcome Trust Clinician Scientist Fellowship ($1.2 million). At UCL, I was one of the principal investigators in the cross-faculty Mammalian Oocyte and Embryo Research Laboratory. In my first 2 years in Australia, I have secured NHMRC funding as CIA worth over $1 million.

I have placed leading papers on oocyte regulation in high impact journals such as Science, Developmental Cell, Genes & Development and Nature Cell Biology all of which have been cited by the Faculty of 1000 Experts. I have received numerous prizes and awards including the highly prestigious Medical Research Society Young Investigator Award (first and only award made to the specialty of O&G in the UK) and was the first of the UK Walport Clinical Lecturers in all specialties to attain Clinician Scientist status. I was one of the very few to have delivered the RCOG’s William Blair Bell Memorial Lecture whilst still a clinical trainee.

Dr. Vaibhavi Joshi is a postdoctoral research fellow at The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research. She is part of the Molecular Breast Pathology Lab alongside Prof. Sunil Lakhani, A/Prof Amy McCart Reed, and A/Prof Peter Simpson. Currently, she is working with with A/Prof Peter Simpson to investigate the molecular basis of breast cancer in young women, focusing on identifying novel biomarkers and potential targets to improve outcomes for this high-risk group.

Her research explores the hallmarks of metastasis, including tumor invasion,colonisation, and the tumor microenvironment. Dr. Joshi employs advanced molecular biology techniques to study cancer progression and uncover clinically relevant targets.

Dr. Joshi welcomes students and collaborators interested in cancer biology, metastasis, and innovative therapeutic strategies to join her in exploring cutting-edge projects.

Dr Kassianos is a Senior Scientist at the Conjoint Internal Medical Laboratory, Queensland Health. Dr Kassianos has made significant contributions to understanding the cell-cell communication between discrete kidney cell and immune cell populations and the therapeutic potential of targeting this cross-talk in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Dr Kassianos has been integral in the development of innovative tools for CKD analytics: (i) in situ/ex vivo profiling for integrating CKD molecular profiles with histopathology; and (ii) preclinical models for screening novel CKD therapeutics. His research is internationally recognised in the field of CKD pathobiology.

Dr Kassianos has contributed to the fields of nephrology and immunology with 41 publications, >2000 career citations (~48 citations/paper) and invited international keynote lectures. Dr Kassianos has a continued record of success in attracting competitive research funding (>$2M as CI), including an NHMRC Dora Lush Scholarship (2007-2010), an RBWH Foundation Fellowship (2012-2014) and two NHMRC Project Grants as CIA (2016-2019; 2019-2022). Dr Kassianos has publications in high-ranking specialist (nephrology, immunology) and generalist journals, including five editorial commentaries in publication issues. These include 21 publications (~50% of his papers) as first or senior author/co-author – of which, 19 (90%) are in top field-weighted journals (Q1, top 10%), including Kidney Int, J Am Soc Nephrol, Cell Death Dis and J Extracell Vesicles. During this time, Dr Kassianos has supervised 5 Early Career Researchers, 5 PhD students (3 to completion) and 2 Masters students (both to completion). Dr Kassianos is also an Editor at Frontiers in Physiology and has contributed to 3 NHMRC grant review panels (2019-2021).

Cognitive and decision-making problems associated with psychotic disorders like schizophrenia are considered the largest burden for these individuals. They also predict poor functional outcomes, such as maintaining work, social networks, and independent living. I am particularly interested in the relationship between decision-making problems and psychotic symptoms in these disorders; will improving decision-making also reduce psychotic symptoms? To that end, I focus on decision-making tasks that are reliant on brain areas and networks that are implicated in psychosis.

My work aims to understand how corticostriatal circuitry drives decision-making processes, and how this is altered in those with schizophrenia and psychosis. I have taken advantage of my collaborations with basic scientists and clinical researchers with a broad range of expertise to establish a cross-species program of research focussed on decision-making. My research is guided by two fundamental questions:

1. Do decision-making problems in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders contribute to psychotic symptoms?
2. How can we leverage the mechanistic tools available in rodent neuroscience to identify causative common substrates underlying decision-making problems (and by proxy psychotic symptoms)?

A/Prof Landsberg's undergraudate and Honours studies, majoring in Chemistry, were completed at Central Queensland University and the CSIRO (JM Rendel laboratories) before he moved to the University of Queensland to study a PhD in Biochemistry (awarded 2003). He then moved to a postdoctoral position at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, spending time as a Visiting Scientist at Harvard Medical School (2008) and securing promotion to Senior Research Officer upon his return to IMB in 2009. He additioanlly spent time as a Visiting Scientist at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in 2010 and 2011.

In 2016, he joined UQ's School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences as a Group Leader in Cryo-EM and Macromolecular Structure and Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry and Biophysics, where he was promoted to Associate Professor in 2019. He has secured >$13.5M in competitive research funding since 2012, including major grants from the Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council. He his research has been presented at over 70 national and international conferences and research institutions.

Junxian Lim is an accomplished molecular biologist at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience. With a strong background in cell biology, protein biochemistry, and pharmacology, he has established himself in the field. Collaborating with researchers at universities, institutions, as well as international industry partners like AstraZeneca and Sosei Heptares, he has contributed significantly to advancing scientific knowledge.

Throughout his doctoral studies, Junxian authored seven ground-breaking studies focused on the development of novel bioactive inhibitors targeting immune cells and inflammatory diseases. These contributions have paved the way for innovative approaches to drug development. Utilizing his expertise, he has successfully developed and characterized a diverse range of protein and cellular assays that enable in-depth investigations into immunity and inflammation. His research findings have been published in prestigious scientific journals, including Nature Communications, Cell Reports, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Diabetes, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, and the British Journal of Pharmacology. His work has been highly cited, reflecting its impact and significance within the scientific community.

Recognized for his outstanding mentoring abilities, Junxian has supervised or co-supervised the research of two completed PhD students, six completed MPhil students, and three completed Honours students. The success of his former students is a testament to his dedication and guidance. They continue to excel and actively contribute to research endeavours around the world, spanning countries such as Australia, Singapore, Korea, India, Japan, and China.

Beyond his research and mentoring achievements, Junxian actively participates in the scientific community. He serves on the editorial boards of esteemed journals like Journal of Translational Medicine, Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences and Biology. This involvement allows him to stay at the forefront of scientific advancements and contribute to the dissemination of knowledge within his field.

Over 5 years of experience in translational biomedical research, specialising in monoclonal antibody-based therapies, immuno-oncology, target discovery and theranostics in cancer. My main research focus is on targeted cancer therapies, understanding how target receptor endocytosis affects antibody drug conjugate (ADC) and radioligand therapy delivery, immune-mediated ADCC, and how combination therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors can potentially improve therapeutic outcomes for patients.

Dr Veronica is an Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellow, under the supervision of Professor Esteban Marcellin and Professor Lars Nielsen. She received her Biotechnology Engineering degree at the University of Chile in 2007 and completed her Ph.D. in Systems Biology at The University of Queensland in 2014. After completing her Ph.D. she performed 2 years of postdoctoral training at The University of Queensland, as part of a collaboration project with Universidad de Chile. Both Ph.D. studies and postdoctoral training were financially supported by the Chilean Government, under a competitive scholarship and fellowship, respectively. Later she worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow- Biopharmaceutical Upstream Bioprocessing at the ARC Training Centre for Biopharmaceutical Innovation (CBI), The University of Queensland.

She has some teaching experience. She had performed tutorial teaching in several courses at Universidad de Chile and the University of Queensland. In 2016 she was in charge of the Beer and Biofuels practical, part of the subject: Biomolecular Engineering (CHEE4020) of the chemical engineering department at The University of Queensland. In 2023 she gave an invited speaker lecture about cell culture optimization at the Biologics course (BIOT7018) at The University of Queensland.

Her research focuses on the improvement of biopharmaceutical production using mammalian cells. She is specifically interested in (1) the development of computational tools for metabolic systems biology, and (2) the improvement of upstream bioprocess. On the tools side, she has worked on the integration of thermodynamic principles and omics datasets into genome-scale models to estimate metabolic flux distributions; and developed a method for the estimation of dynamic metabolic fluxes. She has used these tools to describe experimental mammalian cells data and to guide the improvement of biopharmaceutical production processes. She has also been involved in the development of the latest human and CHO genome-scale models. On the process side, she worked on the improvement of a high cell density culture, using systems biology tools to develop a cell line adapted to high cell density and to develop an improved upstream bioprocess.

Her current project focuses on the development of a platform to generate good producer cell factories of difficult-to-express proteins.

I am a basic science researcher with training in cell biology, genetics and research translation. My research investigates the female reproductive system by focusing on the contribution of individual cells. I aim to understand the influence of genetic architecture, differentiation and maturation on these individual cells and how this contributes to changes in the microenvironment that can contribute to disease initiation and progression.

After the completion of my PhD in 2008 at the University of Queensland, I undertook post-doctoral studies at the University of Bern, Department of Biomedical Research (DBMR), focusing on endometriosis, ovarian and endometrial cancer. I curated patient samples from clinical research trials to investigate inflammatory and metabolic components of reproductive tissue and disease and began developing patient-derived models of the endometrium. I established a relationship between endometriosis lesions, nerves and pain and how this interaction was mediated by inflammation. I further developed patient-derived in vitro models to understand the interaction between inflammation and hormonal response of endometriotic lesions and how this could be utilized to target current and novel treatments. On returning to Australia in 2016 I joined the Genomics of Reproductive Disorders laboratory to integrate genetic background into patient-derived in vitro models. I established the Endometriosis Research Queensland Study (ERQS) in collaboration with the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) and extended in vitro models into complex multi-cellular assembloids (combinations of organoids and surrounding stromal cells).

Professor Mobli is a structural biologist and a group leader at the University of Queensland's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). He is well known internationally for his contributions to the basic theory of multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance and its applications to resolving the molecular structure of peptides and proteins, as well as studying their physiochemical properties and function. Mehdi's contributions to the field has been recognised by being appointed an Executive Editor of the AMPERE society's journal "Magnetic Resonance", and to the advisory board of the international Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank (BMRB) as well as serving on the board of directors of the Australia and New Zealand Society for Magnetic Resonance (ANZMAG). He is a former ARC Future Fellow and recipient of the ASBMB MERCK medal, the Australia Peptide Society's Tregear Award, the ANZMAG Sir Paul Callaghan medal and the Lorne Proteins Young Investigator Award (now Robin Anders Award).

Prof. Mobli's research group focuses on characterising the structure and function of receptors involved in neuronal signalling, with a particular focus on developing new approaches for the discovery and characterisation of modulators of these receptors through innovations in bioinformatics, biochemistry and and biophysics. This work has led to publication of more than 100 research articles attracting over 6,000 citations.

Dr Moniruzzaman is working as a Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the UQ Faculty of Medicine and PA Hospital of Metro South Health. His research focuses on the molecular pathobiology of inflammatory diseases, in particular, how mucosal epithelial cells and gut microbiota regulate immune function in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and contribute to different diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and functional GI symptoms called disorders of gut-brain interactions (DGBI). Dr Moniruzzaman received his PhD from The University of Queensland in 2020, where he studied how the interleukin(IL)-20 family of cytokines (IL-20, IL-22, and IL-24) regulate mucosal epithelial and immune function in inflammatory and infectious diseases, including ulcerative colitis (UC) and respiratory syncytial virus. After graduation, he received postdoctoral training in the IBD Lab at Mater Research Institute – UQ and Nanomedicine Lab at UQ School of Pharmacy, where he investigated the role of cannabinoid receptors in UC and colitis-associated colorectal cancer, development of cannabinoid formulations to treat UC, and involvement of autophagy gene Atg7 in 6-Thioguanin mediated protection from UC. He was awarded a highly competitive UQ Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2021-2022) and UQ School of Pharmacy Strategic Grant (2022) to study cannabinoids and Atg7 in UC, Translational Research Institute LINC Grant (2023) to study cannabinoids in palliative care of patients with advanced cancer, and Metro South Health SERTA (2024-2025) to study non-antibiotic treatment of SI dysbiosis in patients with DGBI. His current work focuses on how small intestinal dysbiosis controls the mucosal immune microenvironment and contributes to the pathogenesis of DGBI, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia (FD), and gastroparesis.