Blog: The Brain Dialogues, filtered by tag: Genetics and Epigenomics

A PhD student in CHeBA’s Genetics & Epigenomics Group, Mary Revelas is researching the genetics of exceptional longevity to better understand successful ageing. Her work hopes to provide clarity on the genes strongly associated. Ultimately, an understanding of both genetic and lifestyle factors will be needed to disentangle the underlying mechanisms of long and healthy lives.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? Given my favourite school subjects were Biology and Science, it seemed natural to undertake a Bachelor of Science when continuing education after completing… Read More

Understanding genetics of ageing and age-related disorders are Research Officer Chandana Kanchibhotla’s main research interests. With a background in biotechnology, Chandana’s ultimate hope is for her research area to gain a better understanding of ageing from a genetics perspective – at the molecular level.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I am from Hyderabad in India, where I completed my Masters in Biotechnology from Osmania University. My interest in genetics started during my time at high school, largely thanks to a passionate biology teacher, who inspired my… Read More

Toyin Abdulsalam is a meticulous, results driven researcher with a diverse background. Toyin has a particular interest in NGS data analysis, genomics, statistical genetics and data visualisation and hopes to make a real-world impact by developing methods and frameworks to aid research for delivery. He is currently studying for a PhD in Psychiatry (sponsored by the UNSW Scientia PhD program) with a focus on bioinformatics and particularly using multi-omics data integration strategies to predict age-related phenotypes and longevity.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? As a… Read More

Dr Karen Mather’s multi-disciplinary research approach to understanding human ageing is dependent upon collaborating not only with CHeBA staff, but also national and international researchers and using publicly available data to provide a more comprehensive examination of the biological processes that underlie the rate at which we age. Dr Mather is enthusiastic about working with CHeBA’s unique studies - in particular the Sydney Centenarian Study - which is the only ongoing exceptional longevity study in Australia.    How did you get into researching the ageing brain? Unlike most people I… Read More

Dr Sumangali Gobhidharan originally studied Zoology before moving into Neuroscience and the field of healthy ageing research. What ultimately motivated her to join the field was hearing stories of her Grandfather’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and the hope to contribute to healthy brain ageing research.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I am from Sri Lanka and my first degree was in Zoology. Zoology is a field I am passionate about and one which was nurtured by the fact that my father is a keen biologist. However, I was always curious to learn more about the… Read More

CHeBA’s Genetics & Epigenomics Group is primarily concerned with identifying factors defining healthy cognitive function, as well as physical and mental wellbeing. Dr Thalamuthu, one of CHeBA’s senior Research Fellows, is providing critical analysis of age-related phenotypes to achieve this goal, bringing us one step closer to improving quality of life across the lifespan.    How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I obtained my PhD in Statistics from the University of Madras, Chennai in Tamil Nadu, South India. Being a statistician, I had the opportunity to work in several… Read More

A PhD Candidate at CHeBA, Heidi Foo has taken a holistic approach to investigating determinants of healthy brain ageing by investigating the effect of genetic and environmental factors impacting cognitive health. Through her research she hopes to help shape more effective treatment interventions for people with dementia.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? My first job as a graduate was in a tertiary hospital as a research assistant where I was responsible for administering neuropsychological assessments to patients who had dementia as well as Parkinson’s disease. In… Read More

Dr Adith Mohan’s transition from clinician to clinician-researcher stems from his interest in applying the principles of neuroscience to his clinical practice as a neuropsychiatrist. He is currently investigating gene expression across the lifespan to try to add to our knowledge of the risk factors for developing age-related brain diseases. He believes that uncovering age-related brain vulnerability is critical to understanding and preventing degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I completed my medical training in 2002… Read More

There is a large body of evidence to suggest that our ability to socialise and maintain positive relationships throughout the lifespan is affected by, and can have an effect on, ageing. Becoming part of an international collaborative effort to better understand the impact of social skills in later life on cognitive decline and dementia is what motivates Russell Chander; PhD student at CHeBA.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I became aware of a Research Assistant job through a friend from university that was working at a Neurology clinic. This would be the first job I… Read More