Research: Liver Research Unit

Our Team

Directors:

Professor Darrell Crawford

Darrell Crawford is Professor of Hepatology, The University of Queensland and Head of the Discipline of Medicine at that institution. He is a highly respected clinician and clinical scientist with 25 years of service to the discipline of Hepatology with special expertise in disorders of iron overload, liver transplantation medicine and viral hepatitis. Professor Crawford is the immediate past president of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (2008/2009) which is the peak clinical, research and professional body representing gastroenterologists and hepatologists in Australia. He is a past chairman of the Australian Liver Association (2001-2005), a current member of Council of The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver and an invited member of its Scientific Program Committee, member of the international advisory board for Abbott Pharmaceuticals as well as national advisory boards for Roche, Schering Plough, Gilead, Jensen Cilag and Novartis. He is a frequent invited speaker at national and international gastroenterology and hepatology meetings.

Dr Linda Fletcher

Dr Fletcher is a committed research scientist (in addition to her clinical duties for Queensland Health where she conducts specialised tests on patients). Her overall goal in the research arena is to continue to strive for excellence in promoting high quality scientific research and to bridge the gap between clinicians and basic scientists. She has been an invited speaker at a number of national conferences and has presented research at international conferences. Dr Fletcher holds an Honorary Research Consultant position with the University of Queensland. She also holds a visiting Scientist appointment with The Queensland Institute of Medical Research where she collaborates closely with Ass/Professor Gregory Anderson, Chair, Cancer and Cell Biology Division.

A/Prof V. Nathan Subramaniam

 A/Prof Nathan Subramaniam is Head of the Membrane Transport Laboratory at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Associate Professor at the School of Medicine, Director of Non-HFE Research, and Director The Liver Research Centre, University of Queensland. He is an internationally recognised researcher in cell biology, non-HFE iron overload and iron biology, and has made significant impacts in these fields. High impact publications in Science and Nature were the first to describe novel vesicular trafficking receptors. Major publications in Lancet, Blood, Gastroenterology and Hepatology were instrumental in defining the role of the liver as the central regulator of iron homeostasis and the function of transferrin receptor 2 and HFE. He has been invited to present his work at major national and international meetings. He is on the Executive Committee of the Australian Liver Association, and the Queensland ASMR committee. He is an Associate Editor of the World Journal of Gastroenterology and member of 3 other Editorial Boards.

Dr Kim Bridle:

Dr Bridle has made a number of important contributions to both haemochromatosis and fibrosis research through publications in high quality journals including The Lancet, Hepatology and The American Journal of Pathology. Dr Bridle’s achievements have been recognised by a number of highly competitive awards including: ASMR Young Investigator Award, Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) Travel Award, American Liver Foundation Post-Doctoral Award, AstraZeneca/GESA Career Development Award, University of Queensland Early Career Researcher Award, Pfizer/GESA Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and a Princess Alexandra Hospital Research Award. Dr Bridle has been an invited speaker at the annual meeting of the Gastroenterology Society of Australia, the Australian and New Zealand Liver Transplant meeting and the Australian Liver Association meeting.

Research Staff:

Dr Mandy Heritage: Mandy undertook her PhD at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. After 4 years of postdoctoral studies at Oxford University she returned to the LRC in 2007 to undertake research into iron metabolism in co-toxic liver disease.

Ms Therese Murphy: Therese has worked in liver disease research for over 20 years. She spent the majority of her research career working at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research before joining the LRC in 2007 to continue her studies in iron metabolism.

Ms Lesley Jaskowski: Lesley joined the LRC in 2009. She has over 20 years experience working in hepatitis research. Lesley is now involved in projects examining iron metabolism.

Ms Erika de Guzman: Erika has recently joined the LRC after undertaking her undergraduate degree and working in New Zealand. She is now performing research into hepatic fibrosis and antifibrotic therapies.

Ms Nishreen Santrampurwala: Nishreen obtained her undergraduate degree in India and then undertook her Honours degree at Griffith University. She recently joined the LRC to examine liver fibrosis.

Students:

Dr Terrence Tan: Terrence is a consultant Gastroenterologist who began his PhD in the LRC in 2009. His project is examining the role of iron in end-stage liver disease.

Ms Amy Sobbe: Amy conducted her undergraduate degree and Honours degree At the University of Southern Queensland. Amy joined the LRC as a research assistant in 2008 and began her PhD in 2009. She is examining antifibrotic treatments in models of cholestatic liver disease.