AVBS travel award 2024 - dr mikaela keyser
My name is Mikaela Keyser, and I am a third year PhD student supervised by Dr. Anne Lagendijk at the Institute for Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland. My PhD research aims to unravel how extracellular matrix (ECM) signalling and caveolae impact cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), a vascular disease characterised by enlarged and malformed venous vessels in the central nervous system. While uncontrolled mechanics are thought to contribute to CCM pathology, the key cellular mechanisms remain unclear. My research utilises unique transgenic and knockout zebrafish strains in combination with 3D bioengineered human micro-vessel models to uncover the role of major mechanical players in CCM.
Recently, I had the opportunity to share my research at Gordon Research Conference (GRC) Signaling by Adhesion Receptors in New Hampshire, USA, and the International Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Scientific Meeting in Toronto, Canada. Both conferences offered valuable insights into their respective fields, and I was grateful to highlight our latest vascular biology research to an international audience.
The GRC focused strongly on cell mechanics and associated signalling, and I presented our work focusing on the role of integrin signalling in development of CCMs and gained valuable feedback on this project. The International Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Scientific Meeting was an unrivalled experience, bringing together clinicians, patients, patient families, and researchers in a workshop format to share and discuss the latest CCM research and how we, as a vascular biology community, are responding to new data and clinical developments for improved patient outcomes. During this presentation, I shared our most recent publication on the interplay of hyaluronic acid turnover and lesion severity, as well as the contribution of integrin signalling to lesion development. Overall, both conferences fostered fantastic discussion about the important role of ECM signalling in vascular disease and has generated opportunities for future collaboration and career development through networking with the international scientific community.
I am incredibly grateful to be awarded the AVBS Travel Award, which has opened doors for networking and collaboration on current and future projects, allowing me to engage more deeply with the scientific community and further my research.
AVBS travel award 2024 - dr mark vidallon
I am Mark Louis P. Vidallon, an early-career researcher (< 3 years post PhD) at the Molecular Imaging and Theranostics Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. Over the past 12 years, I have developed a strong foundation in materials chemistry and nanotechnology, colloid and interface science, and neutron scattering. My current work focuses on leveraging these skills to design innovative mRNA therapeutics and bioinspired theranostic agents aimed at addressing cardiovascular diseases. With the generous support of the Australian Vascular Biology Society (AVBS) through the AVBS Travel Award, I had the privilege of presenting our latest advancements in colloidal biointerfacing for cardiovascular imaging and targeted therapy at three international conferences.
At the 15th International Conference on Nanotechnology: Fundamentals and Applications (ICNFA 2024) in Barcelona, I delivered an oral presentation showcasing a novel application of small- and ultra-small-angle neutron scattering to characterise red blood cell and platelet membrane-interfaced emulsion droplets. This innovative technique enables us to probe the unique structural properties of these biointerfaced materials, opening new avenues for precision cardiovascular imaging. Following ICNFA, I briefly shared our research on platelet membrane-interfaced microbubbles as a poster talk at the Beilstein Nanotechnology Symposiumin Rüdesheim, Germany, and presented this work in full detail as an oral presentation at the World Molecular Imaging Congress (WMIC) 2024 in Montreal, Canada. These microbubbles exhibit dual functionality, acting as ultrasound contrast agents while also offering precision clot-targeting for cardiovascular applications. I am also pleased to share that these works have just recently been published in Small Methods (10.1002/smtd.202400348 featured as the back cover of the issue) and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (10.1021/acsami.4c12024). At WMIC, I was honoured to be recognized as the WMIC 2024 Ambassador for Australia for the top-scoring abstract from the region and was awarded the Evan Unger Award for Young Investigators in contrast media research.
I am deeply grateful to AVBS for making these invaluable opportunities possible.
AVBS travel award 2024 - dr bob lee
Attending IVBM 2024 in Amsterdam, and visit to Karolinska Institutet
I am Bob Lee, a postdoctoral scientist at the Vascular Epigenetics Lab of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. My research primarily focuses on epigenetics in vascular diseases, employing disease animal models with transgenic mouse lines to elucidate the roles of epigenetic markers. Currently, my research primarily focuses on peripheral artery disease, stroke and vascular calcification.
I had the privilege of attending the International Vascular Biology Meeting 2024 in Amsterdam and visiting the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, experiences that were both enriching and impactful.
At IVBM, I presented our work on the role of TET2 in vascular smooth muscle cell osteogenic differentiation to an international audience of experts in vascular biology. This platform allowed me to showcase the exceptional vascular biology research being conducted in Australia and to represent AVBS on an international stage. The presentation facilitated valuable feedback and led to the formation of new collaborations, including with Dr Isabelle Brunet from College de France and Dr Josephine Tan from the University of Pennsylvania. The opportunity to engage with such a distinguished audience has significantly enhanced my professional standing within the global scientific community.
In Stockholm, delivering an invited lecture at Karolinska Institutet was a career highlight. This opportunity enabled me to establish a direct scientific collaboration with the Transplant and Hematology department at Karolinska. We are now planning a microsurgery workshop for March 2025, in conjunction with Professor Moustapha Hassan, where I will design and lead the workshop, imparting specialised microsurgery techniques to students, hospital staff, and scientists.
I am profoundly grateful for the AVBS Travel Award, which made this remarkable journey possible.
AVBS Career development award 2023 - A/Prof. Sara Baratchi
Brief bio - A/Prof. Sara Baratchi, Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute
I am a Cellular Biologist with 12 years of experience in vascular mechanobiology and bio-microfluidics. I have dedicated my research to understanding the mechanotransduction of blood flow in endothelial and circulating blood cells using pioneering organ-on-a-chip models. I am currently an Alice Baker and Eleanor Shaw Gender Equity Fellow at Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and an Associate Professor at the Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health at the University of Melbourne. I am the founder and co-leader of Mechanobiology & Microfluidics Research Group. This interdisciplinary team specialises in developing artificial models of human blood vessels and heart valves using microfluidic technologies to systematically elucidate the molecular mechanisms that control the cellular responses to hemodynamic forces. These models enable mimicking various stages of cardiovascular diseases in a highly controlled fashion. I am also one of the founders and the current vice president of the Australian Society for Mechanobiology. I have published >65 papers, received >3,251 citations with an H-index of 31 (Google Scholar), and received several national and international grants, awards and fellowships.
The impact of the AVBS Career Development Award
I am extremely honored to have received the AVBS Career Development Award. This achievement enhances my reputation as a leader in the field of vascular biology. As a recipient of this award, I have been invited to present my work on the effect of hemodynamics on immune function at the International Vascular Biology Meeting 2024 in the Netherlands. Furthermore, I am planning to use this award to expand my international collaboration by presenting our bioengineered models of vascular aging at the 28th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (µTAS 2024), which will be held in Canada. The µTAS International Conference series, hosting more than 1500 attendees from academia and industry each year, is the premier forum for reporting research results in microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, and organ-on-a-chip technologies. This will provide visibility for us in the international space and an opportunity to foster international collaboration.