I am the inaugural Depression and Suicide Prevention Research Fellow (One in Five; 2024–2026) and Lead of the Human Stem Cell Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry at Monash University (EMCR, five years post-PhD). I have established independent research capacity through the development of two human stem cell facilities at Monash University and the University of Copenhagen, secured over ~AUD $500,000.00 as Chief Investigator ~in competitive funding (One in Five; HOMER Hack Foundation; NHMRC; MJFF), and built an internationally networked program spanning stem cell biology and translational psychiatry. My track record includes first- and corresponding-author publications, patents with commercial potential, invited teaching, and supervision of PhD, Masters, and Honours trainees.

My leadership has been recognised with major awards at leading international conferences, including ISSCR, Hong Kong (Zhongmei Chen Yong Award for Scientific Excellence, 2025) and 4D Organoid, Osaka (Outstanding Research Prize, 2026).

My research addresses a central challenge in psychiatry: the lack of human-specific experimental systems capable of resolving causal neurodevelopmental mechanisms. I develop pluripotent stem cell–derived platforms, including organ-on-a-chip technologies, to model how genetic and environmental risk factors, particularly how prenatal inflammation alters human brain development and its link to disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, and autism.

By integrating these systems with single-cell multi-omics, I define mechanistically convergent pathways with direct translational relevance. Supported by established infrastructure and collaborations with institutions including: Southern Denmark University (SDU), Stanford University, the University of Copenhagen (UCPH), the University of Sydney (USYD), and the University of Wollongong (UoW), my program combines mechanistic discovery with systematic drug repurposing of clinically approved compounds. This strategy delivers scalable human models, prioritised therapeutic targets, and a competitive funding pipeline, positioning my work to advance precision psychiatry and accelerate clinical impact.