The Body Under Attack

Ovarian cancer is often called the “silent killer” because it is typically diagnosed late, when treatment options are limited. What if we could deliver therapies directly to cancer cells with precision while sparing healthy tissues?
In this talk, I will introduce a new approach inspired by the body’s own communication system. Cells naturally release tiny particles called extracellular vesicles, think of them as microscopic delivery packages that carry information between cells. We are learning how to engineer these vesicles to act as targeted delivery vehicles, capable of carrying therapeutic cargo and homing in on ovarian cancer cells.
I will walk you through how we design and produce these bioengineered vesicles at scale, how we guide them to recognise tumour cells, and how we test their effectiveness using patient-derived models that closely mimic real disease. Along the way, you will see how cutting-edge biology, imaging, and nanotechnology come together to tackle one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment: delivering the right therapy to the right place.
This talk is designed for a general audience and will focus on the big ideas, the real-world impact, and what this could mean for the future of cancer treatment.

What role do our domesticated animals play in disease transmission from wildlife to humans, how do we respond when it occurs and can we do better? Can we find the answers in Hendra virus?

Have you ever wondered what goes into making a vaccine? I work on vaccines to prevent infections caused by Strep A - a bacterium best known for sore throats that can also lead to life-threatening infections and long-term heart damage. My research tests different vaccine “recipes” and the helper ingredients that train the immune system to fight off the bug. The goal is to design a vaccine that prevents Strep A infections and protects the people who are most at risk.