Dr. Arunita Ghosh is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Newcastle's School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy and HMRI Drug Repurposing and Medicines Research Program. She is also a member of the NSW Regional Cancer Research Network. Arunita holds a Bachelor's degree with Honours in microbiology, and a Master's degree by research in medical biotechnology, both with high distinctions. With a strong background in microbiology and molecular biology, she further pursued her research interests and obtained a PhD in Clinical Microbiology, with a specific focus on microbial molecular genetics, in 2022. Her PhD program was fully funded by a prestigious DST-INSPIRE fellowship from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. During her doctoral research, she successfully published multiple research and review articles in highly reputable international peer-reviewed journals and presented her work at various international conferences. Currently, she is working in the field of gynecological diseases, including gynecological cancers, with a determination to unravel their molecular genetics. She also aims to utilize her expertise in bacteriology to study the impact and role of different bacteria in the development of various gynecological diseases, including cancers. She believes that this will allow her to make significant contributions to both society and science.

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Dr. Angela Boulton is an Affiliate Researcher with the Hunter Medical Research Institute. She is actively involved in endometriosis research. She is currently undertaking further training in Gynaecological Ultrasound with the Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine. She received a Bachelor of Medicine from the University of Newcastle, Dr. Angela Boulton undertook specialty training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology through the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists at training sites within the Hunter New England Local Health District. She is an Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon with a focus on complex benign gynecology; multi-fibroid uteruses, myomectomies, adnexal masses and ovarian cysts. She is competent in all aspects of general gynecology, including abnormal bleeding, cervical screening and colposcopy, as well as prolapse management, but her particular interest is endometriosis. Endometriosis is a common and very complex disease affecting as many as 11.4% of Australian women by the age of 44. It often requires complex care plans and multidisciplinary involvement. Dr. Angela Boulton’s focus is on individualized plans and fostering a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach.

Dr. Michelle Wong-Brown is a postdoctoral fellow with the University’s School of Medicine and Public Health and Centre for Drug Repurposing and Medicines Research (CDRMR). Her research explores the homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair pathway following chemotherapy. Resistance to further chemotherapy—caused by HR deficiency—is common in patients who experience a resurgence of ovarian cancer following surgery and initial chemotherapy. Through her research on alternative treatments, Michelle is working to restore hope to this vast cohort. Michelle completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours) in 2007. During her undergraduate studies, she undertook two summer scholarship projects that fed her growing interest in laboratory-based research. Following graduation, Michelle commenced work with the Molecular Genetics diagnostic laboratory, within NSW Health Pathology (previously the Hunter Area Pathology Service), where she conducted genetic tests for BRCA genes—genes that, when mutated, can increase predisposition to breast cancer. Michelle completed a PhD in this research area, before shifting her focus to DNA repair pathways in the years to follow.

Dr. Steve Raymond graduated from Sydney University in 1978 before completing specialist training in obstetrics and gynecology in Newcastle, followed by two years of advanced training in fetal-maternal medicine in Glasgow, Scotland. He returned to Newcastle in 1987, and started in private practice, as well as taking a lecturing position in reproductive medicine at the University of Newcastle, where he spent four years researching the causes and treatment of recurrent miscarriage. Dr. Steve Raymond established the first prenatal and ultrasound fetal diagnostic unit in the Newcastle region; he was also the first to perform CVS and cordocentesis. After more than 25 years practicing in the management of obstetric and gynecological conditions, Steve Raymond ceased obstetrics in 2001 to focus on diagnostic ultrasound; prenatal diagnosis, including CVS and amniocentesis; gynecological care, including advanced laparoscopic surgery; and infertility, including medical and surgical treatment of male and female infertility, as well as IVF.

Dr. Partha Dutta is an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He did his PhD at the University of Wisconsin Madison, and a postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. He worked as an instructor at Harvard Medical School before joining the University of Pittsburgh. His current research interests focus on the immunology of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. He is investigating how myeloid cells, such as monocytes and macrophages, induce inflammation. Innate inflammatory cells, such as monocytes and macrophages, are important in cardiovascular disease. After being recruited to atherosclerotic plaques or myocardial infarcts, myeloid cells secrete proteolytic enzymes, e.g., cathepsin and matrix metalloproteinase that digest the extracellular matrix, render atherosclerotic plaques unstable and dilate the myocardium. This results in heart failure or plaque rupture, which triggers a secondary myocardial infarction. Although newly recruited cardiac macrophages are well known for aggravating inflammation after MI, the mechanisms of why these macrophages are inflammatory are not well known. Dr. Dutta’s long term goal is to understand the cross talk among cellular metabolism, epigenetics and inflammation. His ultimate goal is to identify therapeutic targets in these processes and develop therapeutic avenues for patients with MI by targeting metabolic pathways in macrophages.

Prof. Dr. Nikola A. Bowden is co-director of the University of Newcastle Centre for Drug Repurposing and Medicines Research, and leads the DNA Repair Group. She is the co-supervisor of an ACRE-supported HDR student who is investigating the immune system and tumor microenvironment of glioblastoma. Together, they are working to determine if CBD or THC can be used to target these features to improve treatment options for patients with glioblastoma. She is also a co-investigator on the HMRI-funded project “Early phase high throughput studies of cannabinoids using new understandings of glioblastoma biology, radiobiology and pharmacology”. Her research has the overall aim of delivering personalized diagnosis and treatment to patients with cancer, with a more focused interest in investigating DNA repair and drug repurposing for melanoma and ovarian cancer.

Dr. Arnab Ghosh is a cancer researcher at the University of Newcastle, and currently working with the Center for Drug Repurposing and Medicines Research Program of Hunter Medical Research Institute, Australia. He completed a Bachelor by Honours in Veterinary Medicine, and a Master’s by Research in Virology, followed by a Ph.D. in Reproductive Biology from the University of Newcastle in 2019. In his research journey Dr. Ghosh discovered and co-discovered the stem cells of the fallopian tubes and uterus. These studies became the foundational studies of the field, and was published in high-impact journals like, Development, Cell Stem Cell and Cell Reports.