Past Research

Daphne Foong completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) in 2016 at the University of Sydney, majoring in Biochemistry. During my honours, she focused on neuroinflammation and cytokines, investigating the cytokine regulation of growth factor genes in astrocytes and microglia.

Since February 2017, Daphne was employed as a full-time research assistant in the Bone Biology Unit at the ANZAC Research Institute, working on bone and fat metabolism.

Lisa Furlong is a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne.  Previously, she completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) degree at La Trobe University.  She then worked as a clinician in the mental health/alcohol and other drug field for 18 months in regional Victoria, which allowed her to appreciate the difficulties that individuals with mental health disorders can experience.

Lisa’s strong analytical skills and curiosity drove her to pursue research into the neurobiological basis of neuropsychiatric disorders.  She completed a Master of Neuroscience (Advanced) at the Australian National University in 2017, where she investigated thalamic morphology in Huntington’s disease using magnetic resonance imaging, before commencing her current research at the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre.

My passion within the health profession lies with Occupational Therapy.   At birth the doctors discovered I had a dislocated hip and as a result I spent the first three months in a hip brace to secure the ball and socket joint; failure to wear the brace would have resulted in a lifelong limp.   As a result of this treatment I have been fortunate enough to enjoy a lifetime of health and fitness from a very young age.

After building on my interest of Anatomy and Physiology and developing more knowledge after successfully gaining a Certificate IV in Fitness and Health while completing my SACE, I have decided to base my career around helping, supporting and inspiring others to reach their health and fitness goals.

I aspire to becoming a physiotherapist to assist in supporting the demands for health professions within today’s ageing population.    Following the completion of my studies and accreditation as a physiotherapist, I aim to work within a physiotherapy clinic to gain experience in the workforce, and I intend to later establish my own physiotherapy clinic within the rural community where there is large demand but limited services.

I like that Psychology can be used across a wide range of fields and I would also have to say that coming from my family background I see it benefits in helping so many people, especially those from my community in Broome, WA.

In 2017, I was the Narragunnawalli Indigenous Captain at Merici College, my role was to enhance inclusion, recognition and education at the school for the Indigenous girls.  I worked with the school executive to orgnaise for Aboriginal girls from Wadeye NT, to come to our school for a week and for girls from Merici to go to Lambardina WA for three weeks as a cultural immersion.

This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a trauma informed parenting intervention on urban NSW Indigenous Australians’ mental health, parenting confidence and parental reflectiveness. It is hoped that the parenting program will improve the self-reported mental health symptoms and parenting experience of urban NSW Indigenous Australians.

Participants will be recruited from numerous Indigenous health services within the Newcastle and Hunter Valley regions.   Fifty participants each will be allocated randomly to receive either the parenting intervention or attendance at equivalent number of group sessions as control condition not receiving any intervention.

Resmi Menon have completed undergraduate degrees in Bachelor of Zoology and Bachelor of Education followed by a Master of Science (MSc) and Master of Philosophy in ‘Stress Physiology and Endocrinology’ from University of Kerala, India. For her MPhil research, Resmi studied the adaptability of aquatic organisms to metal toxicity which has a strong link with her current PhD study.

After graduation Ms Menon taught biological science to high school and undergraduate students for almost 5 years. After moving firstly to Switzerland and then to Australia Resmi began a PhD at Western Sydney University in the winter of 2017.

My name is Jason Palazzolo. I was born, raised and currently live in Melbourne, Victoria. I have graduated with a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Biomedical Science, both from the University of Melbourne. Following my university studies, I have since pursued a career in the pharmaceutical industry, where I have held several different positions, such as a vaccine manufacturer and clinical trial project co-ordinator. Most recently, I worked as a research and development scientist at Seqirus (a CSL company).

In regards to my personal life, I am currently planning my wedding with my wife-to-be, which is scheduled for early 2019. Also, I’m a passionate follower of the Australian Football League of which I am a long-term member and supporter of the North Melbourne Kangaroos Football Club.

Gabriela Visini completed a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at the University of Otago in 2016, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Distinction in 2017. Gabriela also worked as a research assistant for over two years in a lab studying religion in a social cognition context. Her postgraduate project examined long term spatial memory deficits caused by a single binge exposure of alcohol in the third trimester, using a rodent model.

Ms Visini moved to Sydney in August 2017 with the support of my PhD supervisors, with whom I had been in contact with during my postgraduate course.