The Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma is pleased to introduce 3 new trainees. One of our key focuses is supporting the development of early career researchers. Trainees will receive salary support from our Centre, as well as mentoring and training opportunities. We are excited to see the outcomes of their research.
Dr. Louise Harkness works with the Airway Physiology and Imaging Group at the Woolcock Institute for Medical Research. She completed her PhD in Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, at the University of Sydney. She has a special interest in asthma, at both the cellular and physiological level. She is running a clinical trial examining the effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids on lung function in people with asthma. She is looking at whether drugs that have been modified into smaller-sized particles are more effective than current treatments.
Dr. Michael Fricker will be characterising existing and identifying new biomarkers to inform severe asthma diagnosis and treatment strategies. During his PhD studies, he trained as a cell biologist with expertise in cell signaling at the University of Cambridge. In subsequent post-doctoral roles, he investigated the contribution of defective cell signaling to neurodegenerative disease (University of Cambridge) and lung disease (Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle).
Ms. Daniela Eassey completed her Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours Class 1) at the University of Sydney. She is currently a PhD candidate working with Associate Professors Lorraine Smith and Helen Reddel. Her research project focuses on people’s experiences of severe asthma.
