I completed my BBiomedSc at Monash University, and continued my studies at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, completing honours and subsequently a PhD (Immunology). During my post-graduate studies, I focussed on exploring the relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an inflammatory autoimmune disease, and exacerbated atherosclerotic heart disease, whereby I published my findings in the world leading cardiovascular (CV) journal; the European Heart Journal. My work demonstrated that CV disease (CVD) in patients with RA is independent to circulating cholesterol levels, yet causes a build-up of intracellular cholesterol, promoting myeloid cell production in stem cells. Subsequently, this work has highlighted an important role of excessive white blood cell production (haematopoiesis) in driving heart disease in the setting of RA.

I am currently a postdoc in A/Prof Andrew Murphy’s laboratory, continuing my work in how alterations in haematopoiesis can affect inflammatory diseases and CVD, including arthritis, with a specific focus on the effect of mutated stem cells.