Our Team

I discovered the hidden world of microbes at high school and have loved microbiology ever since. I have been a member of ASM for nearly 20 years (!), having joined as an Honours student in the Robins-Browne laboratory. ASM has supported my professional development as a student, ECR and now leader of my own laboratory. I am delighted to be the Chair of ASM Vic Branch, and look forward to serving you and the other members of our Branch.

My lab is based at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, and I also hold honorary appointments with The University of Melbourne. Our research focuses on pneumococcal microbiology; examining the impact of pneumococcal vaccines in low-income settings to support global vaccination strategies. We are fortunate to partner with microbiologists, clinicians, epidemiologists, and immunologists from both high and low-income settings; collaboration is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job! I recently co-chaired the International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases, attracting over 1100 delegates from 85 countries. Our research is supported by national and international funders, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and by fellowships from the NHMRC and veski.

A/Prof Catherine Satzke

Organisation: Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Portfolio: Chair
Working Group: Regional Engagement
Email: catherine.satzke@mcri.edu.au
Twitter: @CSatzke

Karena holds a PhD (2001; Monash University) in malaria research and possesses over 10 years’ post-doctoral research experience. Since joining the University of Melbourne’s academic teaching staff (2010), Karena has completed the Graduate Certificate in University Teaching (2011; University of Melbourne) and has contributed significantly to the teaching and learning of microbiology, both locally and nationally. Karena’s excellence and innovation in teaching and learning has been rewarded with locally and nationally competitive prizes. She possesses extensive leadership experience in teaching and learning and sits on numerous University and Institute committees, primarily focusing on improving teaching and learning, improving the student experience and student engagement, academic governance, and professional development. She is a member of the Australian Society for Microbiology; she was Victorian Branch Chair (2014-2018) and is current Chair of both the ASM Education Special Interest Group (2017-2019) and organizing committee for ASM’s 2020 Scientific Meeting (2018-2020). Karena has published numerous biomedical and educational research/SoTL articles in peer-reviewed journals.

A/Prof Karena Waller

Organisation: Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne
Portfolio: Immediate Past Chair
Working Group: SEEC
Email: klwaller@unimelb.edu.au

I am a postdoctoral scientist with the Dept. of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Melbourne, based at the Doherty Institute for Infection & Immunity. My primary research interests are in microbial genomics, specifically its application to understanding the emergence and development of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. I am also involved with regional support programs, managed through the Doherty Institute, that work with a number of low & middle income countries providing mentoring and assistance to increase lab capacity for antimicrobial resistance detection and surveillance.

Dr Sarah Baines

Organisation: University of Melbourne
Portfolio: Secretary
Working Group:
Email: bainess@unimelb.edu.au
Twitter: @sarahlbaines1

I am an Early Career Researcher in the Lithgow Laboratory at Monash University, which is part of the Infection and Immunity Program in the Biomedicine Discovery Institute. My fascination with Microbiology started way back in high school when we were allowed to take a swab of anything in the school and attempt to incubate it on an agar plate: naturally, I chose the school canteen and boy was it disgusting... it didn’t stop me from going to the canteen though. I received first class Honours from Professor Julian Rood’s laboratory characterising regulatory genes from conjugative plasmids of Clostridium perfringens. I also received the 2017 CSL Prize as the top completing Microbiology PhD student for my work in Professor Trevor Lithgow’s laboratory, where I developed a radiolabelling pulse chase assay to determine the precise mechanistic details surrounding outer membrane protein biogenesis in the model bacterium Escherichia coli. My current work focuses on protein assembly mechanisms and antimicrobial resistance pathways.

Dr Chris Stubenrauch

Organisation: Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University
Portfolio: Treasurer, Website administrator
Working Group: One Health
Email: christopher.stubenrauch@monash.edu
Twitter: @ChrisTheMicrobe

 

Andrew holds an academics position at the Gippsland campus of Federation University Australia. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Tasmania a long time ago, then moved to James Cook University in Townsville. Andrew held a variety of roles at JCU, and also completed a PhD. Soon after completion of his PhD he moved to regional Papua New Guinea, working at the PNG Institute of Medical Research for 4 very enjoyable years. Here Andrew established research in gastrointestinal pathogens such as Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella Typhi, while also contributing to a well-established respiratory pathogen research program. In his current role Andrew continues to work primarily on gastrointestinal pathogens, but as a generalist he finds himself contributing to a variety of projects. His teaching commitments are similarly broad, contributing to introductory microbiology, food microbiology, clinical microbiology and brewing. Andrew is pictured here in front of his fermentation vessel in his shed, where he practises (and practices) his applied microbiology.

A/Prof Andrew Greenhill

Organisation: Federation University
Portfolio: Deputy Chair
Working Group: Regional Engagement (Leader) & One Health
Email: andrew.greenhill@federation.edu.au
Twitter: @Greena_01

I am the Section Leader for Enteric Reference Laboratory at the Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Doherty Institute. I am responsible for the provision of scientific supervision and delivery of scientific services for the characterisation of bacteria typically of enteric origin.

Mary Valcanis

Organisation: Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne
Working Group: One Health
Email: valcanis@unimelb.edu.au

I am a PhD student in A/Prof Maria Liaskos’ laboratory at La Trobe University. Our lab’s research interests are focused on understanding host pathogen interactions, and my PhD project aims to investigate the biogenesis and functions of bacterial membrane vesicles. While completing my undergrad degree I was unaware of what a career in research was like however, during my honours year I grew fond of the unexpectedness and variety that comes with exploring new areas of microbiology. I joined the ASM Vic Branch committee in 2018 and I have recently taken on the role of VSP Coordinator.

Lauren Zavan

Organisation: La Trobe University
Portfolio: VSP Coordinator
Working Group: SEEC
Email: l.zavan@latrobe.edu.au
Twitter: @Lauren_Zav

I work as a post-doctoral researcher for Associate Professor Steven Tong at The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. The focus of my research is to understand the microbial genomics and transmission dynamics of skin pathogens Staphylococcus and Streptococcus within rural indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. I completed my PhD at Monash University and the CSIRO within the Poultry CRC, were I was introduced to microbial bioinformatics, which has now become my passion and research area of choice. I am a new member of the ASM Victorian Branch Committee and I look forward to contributing to this already amazing society.

Dr Jake Lacey

Organisation: Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne
Portfolio: Newsletter editor and Communications & Marketing
Working Group: One Health (leader)
Email: jake.lacey@unimelb.edu.au
Twitter: @Jake_A_Lacey

 

My fascination with microbes began during my undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne, where I was introduced to the multitude of mechanisms used by bacteria to cause disease by numerous ASM members. I became an ASM member in 2003 when I was a PhD student in Professor Richard Strugnell’s laboratory, and I have been a member of the ASM Vic Branch Committee since 2018. I am currently a Group Leader at La Trobe University, and Deputy Director of the La Trobe Research Centre for Extracellular Vesicles. My lab is based at La Trobe and I hold an adjunct appointment at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research. My lab primarily focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions with particular focus on Helicobacter pylori and bacterial membrane vesicles. Our research is supported by national and international funding agencies, including the NHMRC, ARC and DAAD in addition to an Inspiring Women Fellowship from veski.

A/Prof Maria Liaskos

Organisation: La Trobe University
Working Group: SEEC
Email: m.liaskos@latrobe.edu.au
Twitter: @MariaK_Liaskos

I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology at La Trobe University. I currently teach microbial genetics to second and third year students majoring in microbiology. My research interest is in mobile genetic elements that include transposons, plasmids and bacteriophages. Currently we have active projects in understanding the mechanism of transposition of elements that belong to the Tn5053/Tn402 family and their interaction with broad host range plasmids. These elements are thought to contribute to the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance among gram-negative bacteria. Another active project is the isolation and characterisation of bacteriophages that infect bacteria in the clinical and environmental settings and ways in which they can be used or manipulated in phage therapy. I joined the ASM Vic branch committee in 2018 and am the working group leader of the “One Health” sub-committee.

A/Prof Steve Petrovski

Organisation: La Trobe University
Working Group: One Health & Regional Engagement
Email: steve.petrovski@latrobe.edu.au
Twitter: @PetrovskiLab

I work as a senior scientist and second in charge of the Microbiology Laboratory at Dorevitch Pathology Main Lab. I started my career in microbiology as a lab assistant in New Zealand. I worked for a small community lab in Auckland where I developed a passion for microbiology. As my qualifications from India were not recognised, I joined AUT and completed my Bachelor’s degree of Medical Laboratory Science in 2007. I moved to Australia in 2011 and since then I've been working for Dorevitch Pathology. I enjoy microbiology as it requires a degree of expertise to deliver fast and reliable result to doctors. I'm also passionate about learning and that is what I thrive on. I take pride in my achievement of working at a Senior level for the majority of my working career. I have been a member of the ASM Victorian Branch Committee for several years as part of the Clinical and Diagnostics Group.

Seema Kanade

Organisation: Dorevitch Pathology
Working Group: SEEC
Email: seema.kanade@dorevitch.com.au

I am a Medical Laboratory Scientist at The Alfred Hospital in the bacteriology lab. I have worked in microbiology for the past 5 years and have loved finding rare and interesting pathogens. I first became involved in the ASM when I nervously presented a case of Microsporidosis at “News from the Hospitals” a few years ago, to which I won a one year membership to ASM. I have been an ASM Victorian Branch Committee member since 2019, and lookg forward to bringing you more exciting clinical based case studies, talks and workshops.

Louise Miles

Organisation: Alfred Health
Portfolio: Communications & Marketing
Working Group:
Email: lo.miles@alfred.org.au
Twitter: @LouSmilesMiles

 

Associate Professor Priscilla Johanesen is Head of Teaching and Learning in the Department of Microbiology and Director of the Biomedical Discovery Institute Graduate Program at Monash University. She has a long involvement in supporting early career researchers, including playing a lead role in the development of a skills-based approach for the Monash doctoral training program.

A/Prof Priscilla Johanesen

Organisation: Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University
Working Group: SEEC
Email: priscilla.johanesen@monash.edu

Sam is a microbiologist who completed his PhD in the Department of Microbiology at La Trobe University in 2014 focusing on horizontal gene transfer and the regulation of mitochondrial gene expression in protozoa. He then worked as an Associate Lecturer in the same department, supervising honours research projects and lecturing to undergraduate microbiology students in the areas of microbial genetics and infectious diseases. In 2015, Sam joined the Pneumococcal Research Group at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute as a Research Officer. His research involves investigating the biology, genetics and virulence of the bacterial pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. Sam has attracted over $130,000 in funding and has also received multiple awards in recognition of his work including the Robert Austrian Research Award in Pneumococcal Vaccinology and the Australian Society for Microbiology Jim Pittard Award.

Dr Sam Manna

Organisation: Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Working Group: SEEC (Leader)
Email: sam.manna@mcri.edu.au
Twitter: @sam_manna3

Dr Harshini Weerasinghe is a Postdoctoral Scientist working in the fungal infection and medical mycology laboratory of Prof. Ana Traven at the Biomedicine Discovery Institute of Monash University. Harshini is a fungal geneticist with interests in the genetic and genomic aspects of pathogenic fungi and how they relate to establishment of infection. She completed her PhD at the University of Melbourne, investigating the transcriptional dynamics that occur during pathogenic fungi and immune system macrophage interactions. In her current position, she is studying the role of metabolic changes in immune cells and hospital acquired infectious Candida species, that drive host-fungal interactions.

Dr Harshini Weerasinghe

Organisation: Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University
Working Group: SEEC
Email: harshini.weerasinghe@monash.edu