Paul Thomas

Professor Paul Thomas

Professor

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD, but is currently at capacity - email supervisor to discuss availability.


My research over the past 20 years has focussed on the identification and functional analysis of causative genes for intellectual disability, epilepsy and disorders of sexual development.  My contribution to this field includes the identification and/or functional analysis of six causative genes for neurodevelopmental disorders and many publications in the highest quality biomedical journals (7 in Nature Genetics) with over 5,000 citations, including 4 papers with 300+ cites. My strong track record in genetic disease research has been rewarded by highly competitive fellowship/grant support including a prestigious Pfizer Australia Research Fellowship and NHMRC Program Grant.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2014 - ongoing Director, SA Genome Editing University of Adelaide, Adelaide
    2014 - 2017 Head of Discipline of Biochemistry University of Adelaide, Adelaide
    2013 - ongoing Professor (Level E) University of Adelaide, Adelaide
    2013 - ongoing Senior Principal Research Fellow and Professor South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    1995 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Ph. D.
    1991 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia B.sc. (Hons)
    1990 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia B.Sc
  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Principal Supervisor Designing novel, mutant-specific Prime Editing therapeutic strategies towards treating autosomal dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Lachlan Graham Staker
    2023 Co-Supervisor Developing highly efficient CRISPR-therapeutic strategies for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in Primary Myoblast and Humanised mice models Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Full Time Mr Ryan Hao Bing Lee
    2023 Principal Supervisor Reincarnating the Retina: A Cutting-Edge Mutant Independent CRISPR Therapy for Genetic Eye Disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Jesse Georgina Kennedy
    2021 Principal Supervisor Improving Disease Therapy with the Application of Prime Editing Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Caleb James Lushington
    2021 Principal Supervisor Development of novel CRISPR/Cas9 therapies for genetic eye disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Ashleigh Geiger
    2020 Principal Supervisor Developing strategies for invasive rodent population control through modification of naturally-occurring meiotic drive systems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Luke Gierus
    2020 Principal Supervisor Developing CRISPR/Cas9-Based Therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy using a Humanised Preclinical Model Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Yu Chinn Joshua Chey
    2020 Co-Supervisor The Modern Interface of Law and Science: CRISPR Technology Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Olga Christine Pandos
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2024 Co-Supervisor A Mouse Model of Transcription and mRNA Export (TREX) Complex Scaffold Protein THOC2- Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Rudrarup Bhattacharjee
    2018 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Exploring the cooperation and targetability of CRLF2 and HMGN1 in Down Syndrome Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Elyse Chenae Page
    2017 - 2020 Principal Supervisor CRISPR Technology Development: Gene Drives and Genome Editing Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Chandran Pfitzner
    2016 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Investigating Reprogramming Factors and Neural Conditions to Convert Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells into Neural Stem Cells Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Maria Roumenova Gancheva
    2015 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Investigation of the GATOR1 Complex Genes in Focal Cortical Dysplasia and Focal Epilepsy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Ruby Emily Dawson
    2015 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Mouse Genome Modification and Investigation of Episodic Disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Louise Jane Robertson
    2014 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Identification and Validation of SOXB1 Bound Developmental Enhancers Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ella Paulina Thomson
    2014 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Function and Mechanism of The Single-Minded 2 Gene Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Emily Lyn Button
    2013 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Investigating the Function of Single-pass Leucine-Rich Repeat Transmembrane Proteins in Cell Signalling and Early Neural Development Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Shaun Murray Gaskin
    2013 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Disruption of Cell-Cell Adhesion Codes Underlies The unique X-Linked Inheritance Pattern of Protocadherin 19 Girls Clustering Epilepsy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Daniel Tyler Pederick
    2012 - 2014 Principal Supervisor Functional analysis of SOX3 binding at the Dbx1 locus Master of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Master Full Time Mr Pengcheng Li
    2012 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Neurobiology of PCDHI9-Female Epilepsy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Claire Homan
    2011 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Development and Applications of CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing Technology Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Fatwa Adikusuma
    2010 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Evolution of Mammalian Sex Chromosomes and Sex Determination Genes: Insights from Monotremes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Deborah Fernanda Toledo-Flores
    2009 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Deciphering the Transcriptional Mechanisms and Function of SOX3 in the Developing Embryonic Mouse Brain and Postnatal Testes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Dale Christopher McAninch
    2008 - 2014 Principal Supervisor Expression and functional analysis of SOX3 in murine neurogenesis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Nicholas Alan Rogers
    2008 - 2011 Co-Supervisor Identification and Characterisation of Novel Transcripts Involved in the Proliferation, Differentiation and Development Networks of the Mouse Cerebral Cortex Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr King Hwa Ling
    2007 - 2011 Principal Supervisor Sox3 Dosage Regulation is Important for Roof Plate Specification during Central Nervous System Development Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Kristie Rogers
    2006 - 2011 Principal Supervisor Genetic Control of Hypothalamo-Pituitary Axis Development and Function in Mice Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Eva Szarek
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2010 - ongoing Member Laboratory Animal Services Advisory Committee University of Adelaide Australia
    2008 - 2017 Member School of Molecular & Biomedical Science Research Committee (2008-) University of Adelaide Australia
    2008 - 2013 Board Member University of Adelaide Stem Cell Centre Univeristy of Adelaide Australia
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2012 - 2016 Member Hunter Cell Biology meeting Australia
    2007 - ongoing Member Lorne Genome Conference Scientific Advisory Group Australia
    1999 - ongoing Member Australian Society of Medical Research Australia
    1998 - ongoing Member Australian and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology Inc Australia
  • Consulting/Advisories

    Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
    2011 - ongoing EMBL Australia Council University of Adelaide representative School or college Australia
  • Position: Professor
  • Phone: 81284823
  • Email: paul.thomas@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: SAHMRI, floor 1
  • Org Unit: Medical Sciences

Connect With Me
External Profiles