Thomas R. Cox, Feb 2020
We are delighted that Yordanos Setargew who recently graduated with First Class Honours from our the lab will be continuing on in the team as one of our Research Assistants.
Yordanos will continue working on projects focussing on the role of the extracellular matrix in pancreatic cancer.
Thomas R. Cox, January 2020
As with any new lab (M&M turned 3 a couple of months ago 🎉), the first few years are typically about building a reliable team to help a new PI lay the foundations for establishing a functioning (and hopefully successful) research laboratory. The actual hiring process is incredibly stressful for new PI’s, often agonising for days over their first few hires. A bad hire when starting out can really set you back when the lab is in a fledgling state. At the same time, the inevitable moving on of good hires can be equally as hard…
Continue readingThomas R. Cox, Jan 2020
We are pleased to announce that Kaitlin Wyllie has just joined the Matrix & Metastasis team as a Research Assistant.
Kaitlin recently completed her Master of Research (M.Res.) at the Department of Molecular Sciences at Macquarie University.
Kaitlin will join our projects looking at the role of the ECM in breast cancer therapy and our efforts to develop novel targeting approaches.
Thomas R. Cox, Dec 2019
I am delighted to share the news that our two wonderful Honours Students for 2019, Yordanos Setargew and Shivanjali Ratnaseelan have both been awarded First Class Honours from the School of Medical Sciences at UNSW Sydney. Yordanos for her project on “Targeting lysyl oxidase driven fibrosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via copper inhibition” and Shivanjali for her project on the “Role of Extracellular Matrix Stiffness on Tumor Cell Response to Therapy”
Congratulations to both 🙂
Thomas R. Cox, Oct 2019
We are seeking a full-time dedicated Research Assistant (RA) to come work with us. The group combines the use of 3D models of cancer with novel state-of-the-art imaging approaches to reveal how the extracellular matrix (ECM) drives cancer progression and metastasis. Our mission is to establish targeting of the extracellular matrix as a viable therapeutic approach in the treatment of solid cancers.
Thomas R. Cox, Aug 2019
It’s with great excitement that we welcome our newest PostDoc to the team, Amelia Parker.
Amelia joins us having returned from a PostDoctoral position at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the USA. Prior to this she completed her Ph.D. in the laboratories of Professor Maria Kavallaris and A/Prof Joshua McCarroll at The Children’s Cancer Institute (CCI) in Sydney.
As a biomedical engineer and cancer biologist, Amelia is interested in the importance of the tumour microenvironment, and in particular the extracellular matrix (ECM) in driving tumour progression.
Amelia’s work will focus on the importance of the ECM in Lung Cancer onset and progression.
Thomas R. Cox, Jun 2019
Congratulations to Jess from the team, who today won the Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology (ANZCDB) Best Postdoctoral Poster Award.
The award was given as part of the NSW State Meeting of the ANZSCDB held at the University of Sydney. Jess’ poster presented her ongoing work developing new lysyl oxidase (LOX) inhibitors to treat pancreatic cancer.
The Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology exists to promote research and education in cell and developmental biology through the provision of a dynamic framework for collaboration and support. One of Australia’s oldest Scientific Societies, the ANZSCDB supports the cell and developmental biology research community across all levels, from students to senior researchers.
You can find our more about the ANZSCDB here.
Thomas R. Cox, Jan 2019
We are looking forward to the imminent arrival of our newest member, Gretel Major who is joining the group this week.
Gretel is joining us a new Research Assistant (RA) in the Matrix and Metastasis team having recently completed her Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) degree at the University of Wollongong under the mentorship of Prof. Marie Ranson.
Gretel joins us to work on our different projects underway looking at the role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in cancer progression, and is particularly interested in developing her translational research skills.
Thomas R. Cox, Jan 2019
The Matrix and Metastasis group is excited to be welcoming two new Honours students to the team for 2019.
Yordanos Setargew (left) and Shivanjali Ratnaseelan (right) will both be joining us to spend the next 10 months in the lab as part of their UNSW Sydney, School of Medical Sciences (SoMS) Honours Program.
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Yordanos will be looking at new ways to target the lysyl oxidase (LOX) family in pancreatic cancer, and Shivanjali will be looking at how the biomechanical properties of the tumour microenvironment alter breast cancer cell sensitivity to chemotherapy.
Thomas R. Cox, Oct 2018
We’re pleased to welcome our newest Animal Technician Michelle Yam to the team. Michelle is returning home to Australia having worked at West Virginia University in the US.
Michelle joins us and will take care of the welfare and maintenance of the animals used in our cancer research program to ensure we conform to the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes and the New South Wales Animal Research Regulations.
Thomas R. Cox, Sep 2018
The lab is excited to be welcoming our first Ph.D. student Michael Papanicoloau who has just started in the lab. Michael joins us after completing his Honours degree in Biomedical Science at UTS and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research.
Having been awarded a prestigious UTS Research Excellence Scholarship, Michael’s Ph.D. will focus on understanding how the extracellular matrix changes over time in solid tumours, in particular breast cancer, and how these changes feed into the pathological progression of the disease at both primary and secondary sites.
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Thomas R. Cox, Feb 2018
Our team will shortly be welcoming Sumeyra (Elvan) Kaya from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
Elvan is joining us on exchange as part of her Masters Degree program at the University of Groningen. Elvan is interested in studying more about cancer metastasis and the role that the extracellular matrix plays in this.
Her project will look into novel ways to target the lysyl oxidases. This family of enzymes is critical to cross-linking the extracellular matrix and are highly dysregulated in cancer leading to tumour progression and spread.
Thomas R. Cox, Jan 2018
The Matrix and Metastasis team is excited to be shortly welcoming Elysse Filipe
Elysse recently completed her Ph.D. at the Heart Research Institute (HRI) in Sydney in the Applied Materials laboratory of Dr Steve Wise.
As a biomedical engineer Elysse is interested in developing tools and systems to study the importance of the tumour microenvironment, and in particular the extracellular matrix (ECM) in tumour progression.
Elysse’s work will focus on the importance of the biomechanical properties of the ECM in Breast Cancer onset and progression.
Thomas R. Cox, Dec 2017
I’m delighted to announce that Jessica Chitty will shortly be joining the lab as a postdoctoral research fellow. Jessica has just completed her Ph.D at the University of Queensland and is making the move south to join our team.
Having completed a degree in Biochemistry in the UK, and her Ph.D in Australia, Jessica brings experience in investigating the translational repurposing of key anti-cancer/antimycotic targets, along with significant expertise in enzyme biochemistry and molecular biology in the context of rational drug design, focusing towards translational research.
Jessica will focus her work on our ongoing interest into the lysyl oxidase family of enzymes and their role in pancreatic cancer.
Thomas R. Cox, Aug 2017
We are seeking a full-time dedicated PostDoc to work in the Cancer Division Matrix & Metastasis Group headed by Dr. Thomas Cox. The group combines the use of 3D models of cancer with novel state-of-the-art imaging approaches to reveal how the extracellular matrix drives cancer progression and metastasis. Our mission is to establish targeting of the extracellular matrix as a viable therapeutic approach in the treatment of solid cancers.
