Professor
College of Medicine and Public Health
Since establishing the Childhood Dementia Research Group in 2002, I have dedicated my research career to the study of disease pathogenesis in, and treatment of, brain disease in large and small animal models of Sanfilippo syndrome, a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder that causes childhood dementia.
Here is a recent media interview that explains what childhood dementia means for families: https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/childhood-dementia-aussie-kids-suffering-from-cruel-disease-families-want-awareness/07da92b7-2a79-415f-bed7-f608b3ea22bc
I presently lead and coordinate a multi-disciplinary team and a comprehensive, innovative translational research program that is seeking to develop tools for predicting the rate of symptom-onset/disease-progression in Sanfilippo syndrome, elucidate the basis of neurogenic disease thereby providing a cogent target for therapies, evaluate novel treatments and provide biomarkers for monitoring therapeutic efficacy.
Our goal is to enable the implementation of existing technologies for newborn screening for all neurodegenerative LSDs in Australia and beyond, therapeutic intervention at the earliest possible stage and thus the greatest improvement in patient quality and quantity of life to be achieved.
**** An Honours scholarship ($5000) is available for full-time mid-year Honours (2021-2022).
Please see https://www.flinders.edu.au/scholarships-system/index.cfm/scholarships/display/ad1de20
**** Two Honours scholarships ($5000 each) are available for full-time Honours in 2022.
Please see https://www.flinders.edu.au/scholarships-system/index.cfm/scholarships/display/a61dd1a
Lab website: https://www.childhooddementiaresearch.wordpress.com
PhD (2000), Flinders University
B. App. Sci. (1991), University of South Australia
2018 - SAHMRI Translation and Impact Award – Childhood Dementia Research Group (team award)
2017 - University of Adelaide Alice Davey Award – Childhood Dementia Research Group (team award)
Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group
Dean's Commendation - MAR 2021
Professional/Research Leadership
Academic Leadership