Dr Adrian Abdo
Pdoc Res Fellow (A) (with PhD)
Adelaide Medical School
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
- My Research
- Career
- Publications
- Grants and Funding
- Teaching
- Supervision
- Professional Activities
- Contact
Throughout my PhD, I gained extensive knowledge in cell biochemistry and physiology, particularly in redox signaling and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity. After my PhD (University of Sydney, 2018), I moved to the University of Adelaide to investigate zinc signaling in vascular cells, publishing my findings on which Zinc transport proteins in endothelial and smooth muscle cells respond to changing Zinc status. These results led to an observational study investigating whether polymorphisms in the zinc transport protein, ZIP2, is linked to cardiovascular disease outcomes in cardiology patients that have undergone coronary artery angiography.
I am now a grant-funded postdoctoral scientist in researching alternative antimicrobial therapies against common healthcare-associated microbes.
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are an imminent threat to our health, causing 1.3 million deaths every year. Bacteria reside in biofilms; gregarious mono- or multi-species communities protected from the external environment by a secreted extracellular polymeric substance. This sheltered lifestyle chemically and physically protects bacteria from therapies and promotes resistance. Because of this, the effectiveness of best-medical care is hampered, and even simple infections are now a serious risk due to MDR bacteria and biofilms. Therefore, more effective treatments are urgently needed.
My main interests are to contribute from basic research to translatable non-antibiotic antimicrobial therapies. In partnership with Plasmatreat (Germany), we have investigated plasma-activated water (PAW), where cold plasma is discharged into water to generate reactive oxidant species and increase acidity to form a potent, innovative antimicrobial solution to treat MDR and biofilm infections. With funding from the Medical Researcher Future Fund, we are now using small and large animal models to test the efficacy of PAW in wound healing and treating infection to inform first-in-human trials to bring PAW into the clinic.
We also collaborate with veterinary researchers to use PAW for food contamination, better animal care and safer, more sustainable food production.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2021 - ongoing Postdoctoral Researcher University of Adelaide 2018 - 2020 Research Officer University of Adelaide -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2013 Distinction Dean's Merit Award UTS Australia - -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2014 - 2018 University of Sydney Australia PhD 2013 - 2013 UTS Australia First Class Honours in Medical Science 2010 - 2012 UTS Australia Bachelor of Medical Science
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Journals
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Book Chapters
Year Citation 2022 Abdo, A., Schmitt-John, T., & Richter, K. (2022). Cold Plasma Therapy as a Physical Antibiofilm Approach. In K. Richter, & K. Kragh (Eds.), Antibiofilm Strategies (Vol. 11, pp. 225-261). Springer Nature.
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Conference Items
Year Citation 2021 Abdo, A., Schmitt-John, T., & Richter, K. (2021). Plasma-activated water as a new weapon against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 31st annual European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2021), as published in EMJ Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. virtual online: European Medical Group. 2020 Tran, H., Abdo, A., Jaghoori, A., Jakobczak, R., Beltrame, J., Hodge, S., & Zalewski, P. (2020). ZINC SIGNALLING MAY BE INVOLVED IN PULMONARY HYPERTENSION VIA CO-REGULATION OF NO-INDUCED VASODILATION AND ENDOTHELIN-1-INDUCED VASOCONSTRICTION. Poster session presented at the meeting of RESPIROLOGY. WILEY. 2019 Tran, H., Maiolo, S., Abdo, A., Jacobczak, R., Beltrame, J., Reynolds, P., . . . Hodge, S. (2019). Hypoxia-induced reduction in no signalling as well as increased oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with dysregulated zinc homeostasis in endothelial cells. Poster session presented at the meeting of Respirology. Broadbeach, Qld.: Wiley. 2019 Tran, H. B., Macowan, M., Abdo, A., Donnelley, M., Parsons, D., & Hodge, S. (2019). Airway inflammasome activation and dysregulated S1P signalling associated with mucus obstruction in a cystic fibrosis-like mouse model.. Poster session presented at the meeting of Respirology. Wiley. 2019 Hai, B. T., Abdo, A., Jaghoori, A., Jakobczak, R., Beltrame, J. F., Hodge, S., & Zalewski, P. D. (2019). IS ZINC A NOVEL VASCULAR SIGNALING MESSENGER AND TARGET IN PULMONARY HYPERTENSION?. Poster session presented at the meeting of RESPIROLOGY. WILEY.
2016 Abdo, A. I., Rayner, B. S., van Reyk, D. M., & Hawkins, C. L. (2016). Modification of Low-Density Lipoprotein by Myeloperoxidase Oxidants - a Pathway to Endothelial Dysfunction in Atherosclerosis?. Poster session presented at the meeting of FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE. ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC.
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Preprint
Year Citation 2024 Abdo, A. I., & Kopecki, Z. (2024). Comparing Redox and Intracellular Signalling Responses to Cold Plasma in Wound Healing and Cancer.
- CIB of MRFF 2021 Early- to Mid-Career Researchers - $758,438 (2023-2025)
- Co-investigator of European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) research grant - $30,000 (2022)
- Associate Investigator of Women's and Children's Foundation Research Project Grant - $100,000 (2020)
- National Heart Foundation of Australia - Tom Simpson Trust Fund - Equipment Grant - $15,750 (2019)
Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences:
- Supervisor/demonstrator for HLTH SC 3009 Research Placement (2021-present) - 4 students
- Supervisor for summer school research program (2021-present) - 3 students
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2024 Co-Supervisor Cold plasma technology for antibiotic-free treatment of multidrug resistant pathogens and biofilms in diabetic wounds Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Angela Boahen -
Other Supervision Activities
Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name 2024 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Cold plasma technology to fight multispecies biofilms University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Georgina Neville 2020 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Novel treatment to prevent cardiovascular disease in Type 2 diabetes Basil Hetzel Institute - Honours Full Time Emily Kovacev
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2020 - ongoing Member Organising Committee for TQEH Research Expo The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Australia -
Community Engagement
Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country 2019 - ongoing Science Alive! Public Community Engagement Basil Hetzel Institute Australia
Connect With Me
External Profiles
