Date: 9 January 2026 (Friday)
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre 3/4, G/F, William M.W. Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road
Host: Professor Rio Sugimura

I completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) at University of South Australia and a PhD at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre/University of Melbourne. I then undertook post-doctoral training with Prof Stuart Orkin at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Children’s Hospital Boston in Boston, USA. I returned to Melbourne, Australia in 2008 to St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research/University of Melbourne to establish the Cancer and RNA Lab and in July 2024 moved to the Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Monash University in Melbourne.

We study an RNA modification – Adenosine-to-Inosine RNA editing mediated by ADAR proteins – and how this intersects with the cells innate immune system. We use in vivo and cell-based genetics to understand the functions of ADAR1 and A-to-I RNA editing in normal physiology and to pathological states. We have combined the genetic models with discovery-based approaches to understand pathways that can modify the cells requirement for A-to-I editing. Our studies have focused on the interplay of ADAR1 mediated editing and the cytoplasmic innate immune sensing system, informing both the physiological and pathological understanding of A-to-I editing in vivo. I will discuss ongoing studies to understand how ADAR1 functions, our evolving understanding of editing dependent and independent functions of the ADAR1 nuclear and cytoplasmic isoforms and how ADAR1 mediated editing of cellular dsRNA intersects with the cytosolic innate immune sensing system.