Dr Kusuma is a stem cell biologist with a background in biomaterials and extracellular vesicles biology. She was awarded her PhD from The University of Melbourne in 2015 where she identified the stem cells niche in the human placenta. In her postdoctoral training, she has pursued interdisciplinary projects such as the development of biomaterials to improve adult stem cells expansion and the role of microRNA signalling in stem cells fate.

In 2017, she was recruited as a Research Fellow by A/Prof Rebecca Lim to join Amnion Cell Biology laboratory. Her current research focuses on the clinical scale production of extracellular vesicles and bioengineering paracrine signalling from stem cells for maximum therapeutic effects. Biologics such as stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles contain bioactive products which are easier and cheaper to manufacture, store and transport; thereby offering the benefits of stem cells without the costs and risks of cell-based therapies.