About the Molecular Biomarkers Group
The group uses the diverse clinical cohorts from CHeBA and collaborators, to identify biomarkers of multifactorial age related neurodegenerative diseases, such as the dementias, particularly vascular dementia (VaD), vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), stroke, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Group members include clinicians, biochemists, and laboratory scientists who use the extensive clinical data and blood samples available within the CHeBA cohorts, together with state of the art analytical techniques, such as mass spectrometry, proteomics and metabolomics. Close collaborations are fostered with many groups within UNSW and beyond, including the UNSW Analytical Center, The University of Melbourne, Washington University School of Medicine, The University of Newcastle (Hunter Medical Research Institute), Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Limited, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, and many others. Such collaborations foster data sharing and provide group members with access to a diversity of research tools, supporting exploration of diverse research angles and methodological innovation.
Aims
- Identifying biomarkers and understanding pathomechanisms of age related neurodegenerative diseases, particularly vascular dementia, using blood samples, diverse clinical cohorts and state-of-the art mass spectrometry techniques and software.
- To develop and test the efficacy of multimodal nanoparticles tailored for early detection using multiple probes and subsequent theranostic use in AD.
Opportunities within the Molecular Biomarkers Group
Collaboration is greatly valued and fostered within this group, with the understanding that depth of knowledge and opportunities for discovery can be facilitated by bredth of skills and diversity of tools. This group supports higher degree studies, particularly at the PhD level, and encourages enquiries from high calibre candidates, who have interests and high motivation to work in the area of neuroscience and neurodegenerative disease.
Molecular Biomarkers Group Members
- Professor Perminder Sachdev (MD, PhD, Group Leader)
- Dr Tharusha Jayasena (PhD, post-doc)
- Satoshi Hosoki (MD, visiting post-doc)
- Dr Vibeke Catts (PhD, study coordinator)
- Gurjeet Kaur Virk (PhD, early post-doc)
- Fatemeh Khorshidi (PhD, early post-doc visiting fellow)
- Gurpreet Hansra (PhD candidate)
- Dr Anne Poljak (PhD, CHeBA adjunct)
- Dr Tessa Helman (Postdoctoral Fellow)
Molecular Biomarkers Group Projects
- Determining biomarkers of Vascular Dementia, particularly in blood samples, exosomes, etc
- Managing the CHeBA BioBank, samples storage, aliquoting, addressing samples requests, assisting with transition to management by UNSW Biorepository
- Determining blood biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease
- Other projects; (a) develop a blood assay for oxytocin, (b) understanding the hormesis response of cells with exposure to natural products
