Elyse Page

Elyse Page

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Dr Elyse Page is an early career postdoctoral research fellow with the leukaemia research group at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). She completed her PhD in 2021 with a Dean’s Commendation for doctoral thesis excellence. Elyse is currently a Cancer Council Beat Cancer Early Career Research Fellow, and has been awarded $1.7 million in research funding ($830K as lead researcher) three years post PhD.

Elyse's research vision is to understand the genomic predisposition that leads to acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), investigate factors involved in central nervous system (CNS)-disease burden, and to critically develop approaches to overcome the toxicity ALL patients experience from current therapies to improve survival.

Project 1

Title: Identifying a biomarker for central nervous system acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Description: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) infiltrates the central nervous system (CNS) in 10% of patients at diagnosis, and 40% of patients at relapse, despite traumatic prophylactic intervention. Once ALL penetrates the CNS, patients have high mortality rates with extremely limited treatment options. This study will be the first comprehensive multi-omic study to investigate the methylome and genomic profile of ALL blasts invading the CNS. One main goal of this project is to identify a biomarker to determine which patients are at risk of developing CNS disease burden, to allow for early treatment escalation and prevent CNS-relapse. We will also identify which patients are not at risk, and therefore, may not require traumatic prophylactic injections of chemotherapy into their spines. 

Projects available for: Honours and HDR

Location: SAHMRI

Research project start: Semester 1

Max Number of Students: 1

Category: Wet Lab

Special Requirements: Police Clearance

 

Project 2

Title: Investigating the role of the gut microbiota on acute lymphoblastic leukaemia development and progression

Description: The composition and function of the gut microbiota strongly influences numerous functions of the immune and metabolic systems. In childhood ALL, there is evidence, from a number of small clinical studies, that the microbiome plays a role in treatment efficacy/toxicity. However, to date, no study has directly assessed these relationships. Recent studies have also demonstrated that disruption of the gut microbiota was observed in children with ALL at the time of diagnosis, suggesting the importance of the microbiota in disease pathogenesis. Cause and/or effect are difficult to prove in clinical studies, particularly when chemotherapy and antibiotics, both of which impact the microbiota, are integral to treatment protocols. In this study, we will address these significant questions in patient material and carefully constructed and controlled novel pre-clinical models, which will enable us to directly assess if the microbiota plays a critical role in the response to ALL therapy.

Projects available for: HDR

Location: SAHMRI

Research project start: Semester 1 or 2

Max Number of Students: 1

Category: Wet Lab

Special Requirements: Police Clearance

 

Project 3

Title: Exploring predisposing factors for Down Syndrome acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Description: Patients with Down Syndrome, particularly young children, are unfortunately predisposed to developing haematological malignancies, including ALL. The current treatment for DS-ALL patients is largely limited to chemotherapy, which results in significant toxicity and tolerability issues, leading to an increased risk of relapse and higher rates of treatment related death. Survival outcomes among children with DS-ALL are significantly lower (75%) compared to the same age group without DS (85-90%). The genomic subtype with the second highest frequency in DS-ALL is rearrangement of CCAAT-enhancer binding proteins (CEBP). CEBPA/D and E are altered in ~10% of DS-ALL cases, and it is currently unknown why they frequently develop these alterations.

Projects available for: Honours or HDR

Location: SAHMRI

Research project start: Semester 1 or 2

Max Number of Students: 1

Category: Wet Lab

Special Requirements: Police Clearance

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2024 - ongoing Cancer Council Beat Cancer ECR Post-doctoral Research Fellow South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute
    2022 - 2024 Affiliate Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2021 - 2022 Affiliate Associate Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2020 - 2023 Postdoctoral Research Fellow SAHMRI

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2024 Nomination Albert Baikie Memorial Award Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand Australia -
    2024 Award ANZCHOG Best Poster Award ANZCHOG Australia -
    2024 Invitation Invited Speaker: SAHMRI reception with the Australians of the Year SAHMRI Australia -
    2024 Award Zero Childhood Cancer Best Oral Presentation Award ZCC Australia -
    2024 Award Minderoo Travel Grant Minderoo Foundation Australia -
    2024 Invitation Invited Speaker: Cancer Council Biggest Morning Tea Cancer Council Australia -
    2024 Award New Directions in Leukaemia Research New Investigator Award NDLR Australia -
    2023 Award SAHMRI Showcase Best ECR Presentation SAHMRI Australia -
    2021 Achievement Fresh Scientist, SA Fresh Science Australia -
    2021 Award Dean's Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence University of Adelaide Australia -
    2021 Invitation Invited Speaker: Monash Biomedicine Discovery Rising Stars Seminar Monash Australia -
    2020 Invitation Invited Speaker: Precision Medicine Theme Seminar SAHMRI Australia -
    2020 Invitation Invited Speaker: HSANZ Blood Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand Australia -
    2020 Award University of Adelaide Faculty of Sciences 3MT Winner University of Adelaide Australia -
    2018 Scholarship Upgrade to PhD Scholarship University of Adelaide Australia -

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2020 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy
    2016 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Sciences (Advanced)

  • Research Interests
    Cancer Cell Biology Cancer Genetics Gene and Molecular Therapy Haematology Oncology and Carcinogenesis

2024 - SAHMRI Discovery Circle  $100K

2024-2027 - Cancer Council Beat Cancer Early Career Research Fellowship $480K

2023-2024 - MRFF E/MCR Grant $884K

2021 - Simone Family Fellowship $220K

2021 - SAHMRI Seed Funding $30K

2023-2024 - Primary Supervisor of third year undergraduate biochemistry placement students (Adelaide University)

2022 - Guest Lecturer in Biochemistry III: Cancer, stem cells and development (Adelaide University)

2022 - Primary Supervisor of a Summer Research Scholarship Student (Adelaide University)

2022 - Primary Supervisor of a Pharmacy Student Placement (Uni SA)

2019 - Primary Supervisor of an International Exchange Student (Marco Polo Fellowship)

2019-2023 - Third Year Biochemistry Tutorials (Adelaide University)

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Identifying Predictors of CNS involvement in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Luke Jacob Quinlan
    2023 Co-Supervisor Exploring the impact of the gut microbiota on the clinical scenario in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia patients Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Cate Viktorija Cheney
    2022 Co-Supervisor Investigation of current, innovative treatments and the roles of secondary genomic lesions in BCR-ABL1 positive leukaemias Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Elias Lagonik

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Investigating the oncogenic potential of PAX5 alterations in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute - Honours Full Time Nicole Chan
    2022 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Exploring the Role of Epigenetic Regulator PHF6 in T-ALL South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute - Honours Full Time Cate Cheney

  • Mentoring
    Date Topic Location Name
    2023 - 2024 Scientific Research Uni SA STEM Girls Academy SA High School Students

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2020 - 2022 Convener Australian Society for Medical Research SA Australian Society for Medical Research Australia

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2018 - ongoing Member Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand membership Australia

  • Community Engagement
    Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country
    2024 - 2024 SAHMRI Thank You Event Public Community Engagement SAHMRI Australia
    2024 - 2024 Kiwanis Guest Speaker Public Community Engagement Kiwanis Australia
    2024 - 2024 Cancer Council Biggest Morning Tea Thank You Event Public Community Engagement Cancer Council Australia
    2023 - ongoing UniSA STEM Girls Academy Mentor Public Community Engagement UniSA STEM Girls Academy Australia
    2023 - 2023 SAHMRI BRIGHT Ambassador Public Community Engagement SAHMRI Australia
    2023 - 2023 ACRF Launch at SAHMRI Public Community Engagement ACRF Australia
    2021 - 2021 Immanuel College Scientist Representative Public Community Engagement Immanuel College Australia

  • Editorial Boards
    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2024 - ongoing Associate Editor Journal of Clinical Medicine Journal of Clinical Medicine Switzerland
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