Nush completed her PhD at UNSW in 2019 which focused on understanding and therapeutically targeting tumour-stromal interactions in pancreatic cancer. She then worked as part of the Medicine Research Infrastructure and Operational Services team across the Upper Campus Biomedical Precinct between 2020 and 2021. She was recently recruited to the Viral Pathogenesis and Vector Laboratory as part of the Immunovirology and Pathogenesis Program within The Kirby Institute, where she works on SARS-CoV-2 full-time.
Bachelor of Science, First Class Honours (2014), PhD in cancer therapeutics and stromal cell metabolism (2019)
School of Medical Science (SoMS) Award for Safety Culture (MEDRIOS Team) (2020)
Nomination for UNSW Dean’s Award for Outstanding PhD Theses (2019)
Translational Cancer Research Network, PhD Scholarship Top-up Award (2018 – 2019)
European Pancreas Club Jubilee Meeting Travel Scholarship (2018)
Postgraduate Research Student Support Scheme (2018)
Prince of Wales Clinical School Travel Award (2018)
Campion-Ma-Playoust Memorial Award (Best Oral Presentation) Australian Society for Medical Research National Scientific Conference (2017)
Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) Scholarship (2015 – 2018)
The focus of Nush's PhD (2015-2019) was understanding the metabolic changes that occur in pancreatic tumour cells and tumour-associated stromal cells, as these changes represent vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically targeted. Her PhD focused specifically on inhibiting various nutrient transporters, that are over-expressed in both cell types, using pharmacological inhibitors or gene therapy (nanoparticles coupled with siRNA).
In 2021, Nush joined the Viral Pathogenesis and Vector Lab (VPVL) within the Immunovirology and Pathogenesis Program (IVPP) where she is involved in collaborative testing of sera samples from convalescent or vaccinated donors and screening new antiviral drugs.
Shen Y; Freeman JA; Holland J; Solterbeck A; Naidu K; Soosapilla A; Downe P; Tang C; Kerridge I; Wallman L; Van Bilsen N; Milogiannakis V; Akerman A; Martins Costa Gomes G; Sandgren K; Cunningham A; Turville S; Mulligan SP, 2022, 'COVID-19 vaccine failure in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and monoclonal B-lymphocytosis; humoural and cellular immunity', British Journal of Haematology, vol. 197, pp. 41 - 51, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bjh.18014
Shen Y; Freeman JA; Holland J; Solterbeck A; Naidu K; Soosapilla A; Downe P; Tang C; Kerridge I; Wallman L; Van Bilsen N; Milogiannakis V; Akerman A; Martins Costa Gomes G; Sandgren K; Cunningham AL; Turville S; Mulligan SP, 2021, COVID-19 Vaccine Failure in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Monoclonal B-Lymphocytosis; Humoral and Cellular Immunity, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.28.21265549
