Ainslie Derrick-Roberts

Research Interests

Biochemistry and Cell Biology Occupational and workplace health and safety Microbiology

Dr Ainslie Derrick-Roberts

Senior Technical Officer

SpecServ -Engineering and Information Technology

College of Engineering and Information Technology

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

Dr Ainslie Derrick-Roberts is a Senior Technical Officer in Chemistry and Biology Technical Services Team based at Mawson Lakes campus.
 
Ainslie has over 20 years experience working in and managing PC2 and OGTR certified biological facilities across both Government and University settings and possesses a strong academic and practical background in both cellular and molecular biology and microbiology.
 
She received her PhD from the University of Adelaide (based at the Women's and Children's Hospital, Department of Paediatrics), using small molecules to improve brain neurodegeneration in Sanfilippo syndrome. She was the Malcolm Douglas Grant Post-Doctoral Research Fellow developing models of skeletal disease in Morquio syndrome another disorder of extracellular matrix dysfunction and inflammation.
 
Ainslie was a Research Associate in the Plasma Medicine Group, UniSA (2022-2023) developing in vitro and ex vivo models of skin biology and translating this work to preclinical models to further understand the mechanism of action of highly-ionised energy known as plasma. In the latter part of 2023, she joined the Regenerative Medicine group as a Research Fellow at UniSA and worked with Industry partner Calix on the SAAFE CRC project investigating the antimicrobial properties of magnesium oxide derived nanomaterials on wound infection in skin diseases for application in agriculture and veterinary practice (2023-2025). 
 
In 2025, Ainslie joined the FII/STEM Technical Team at UniSA and provides expertise in biosafety, biosecurity, laboratory management and work health and safety in PC2 and OGTR Biological Laboatories. 

The aim of my research is to advance wound care using electrical ionised gas discharge (plasma) to deliver antimicrobial and healing agents through tailored hydrogel dressings into wounds. The technology will be configured for real-world wounds and clinical settings and its antimicrobial delivery system will be optimised to eradicate all wound pathogens and prevent re-infection. The technology has potential to revolutionise chronic wound care and alleviate the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance. My research aims to develop complex in vitro models and translate this research into the preclinical space.

Date Position Institution name
2025 - ongoing Senior Technical Officer Adelaide University
2025 - 2025 Research Fellow University of South Australia
2022 - 2024 Research Associate University of South Australia
2008 - 2025 Affiliate Lecturer University of Adelaide
2008 - ongoing Grant Funded Post-Doctoral Scientist SA Pathology
2008 - 2007 Grant Funded Post-Doctoral Scientist Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service
2001 - 2002 2001-2002 Grant Funded Scientist Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide

Date Institution name Country Title
2003 - 2007 University of Adelaide Australia PhD, Department of Paediatrics
1998 - 2001 University of South Australia Australia Bachelor of Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (Honours)

Date Title Institution name Country
1997 South Australian Certificate of Education Walford Anglican School for Girls Austarlia

Year Citation
2024 Sabrin, S., Hong, S. H., Sushil Kumar, K. C., Oh, J. S., Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K., Karmokar, D. K., . . . Szili, E. J. (2024). Electrochemically Enhanced Antimicrobial Action of Plasma-Activated Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Hydrogel Dressings. Advanced Functional Materials, 34(21), 2314345-1-2314345-15.
DOI Scopus25 WoS25
2024 Sushil Kumar, K. C., Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K., Hong, S. H., Ghimire, B., Oh, J. S., & Szili, E. J. (2024). Influence of duty cycle on the physicochemical characteristics of an AC-driven argon plasma jet and its impact on hydrogen peroxide production and cell viability. Journal Physics D: Applied Physics, 57(37), 375208-1-375208-16.
DOI Scopus8 WoS7
2023 Mokhtar, S. M. A., Derrick Roberts, A. L. K., Evans, D. R., & Strudwick, X. L. (2023). Cell viability assessment of PEDOT conducting polymer-coated microneedles for skin sampling. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 6(11), 4662-4671.
DOI Scopus7 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2022 Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K. (2022). Response to Letter to the Editor: Secondary ganglioside G<inf>M2</inf> accumulation in mucopolysaccharidoses. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Reports, 30, 100831.
DOI
2021 Derrick-Roberts, A., Kaidonis, X., Jackson, M. R., Liaw, W. C., Ding, X., Ong, C., . . . Byers, S. (2021). Corrigendum to "Comparative analysis of brain pathology in heparan sulphate storing mucopolysaccharidosis" [Molecular Genetics and Metabolism 131 (2020) pages 197-205].. Molecular genetics and metabolism, 135(1), 114.
DOI
2021 Saville, J. T., Derrick Roberts, A. L. K., McIntyre, C., & Fuller, M. (2021). Systemic scAAV9.U1a.hSGSH delivery corrects brain biochemistry in mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA at early and later stages of disease. Human gene therapy, 32(7-8), 420-430.
DOI Scopus11 WoS11 Europe PMC11
2021 Lehmann, R. J., Jolly, L. A., Johnson, B. V., Lord, M. S., Kim, H. N., Saville, J. T., . . . Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K. (2021). Impaired neural differentiation of MPS IIIA patient induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Reports, 29(article no. 100811), 100811-1-100811-11.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC4
2020 Jiang, Z., Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K., Reichstein, C., & Byers, S. (2020). Cell cycle progression is disrupted in murine MPS VII growth plate leading to reduced chondrocyte proliferation and transition to hypertrophy.. Bone, 132(115195), 10 pages.
DOI Scopus16 WoS15 Europe PMC13
2020 Derrick-Roberts, A., Kaidonis, X., Jackson, M. R., Liaw, W. C., Ding, X. D., Ong, C., . . . Byers, S. (2020). Comparative analysis of brain pathology in heparan sulphate storing mucopolysaccharidoses. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 131(1-2), 197-205.
DOI Scopus5 WoS6 Europe PMC5
2020 Jiang, Z., Derrick Roberts, A. L. K., & Byers, S. (2020). Altered IHH signaling contributes to reduced chondrocyte proliferation in the growth plate of MPS VII mice. Molecular genetics and metabolism reports, 25(100668), 1-5.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2018 Jiang, Z., Derrick-Roberts, A., Jackson, M., Rossouw, C., Pyragius, C., Xian, C., . . . Byers, S. (2018). Delayed development of ossification centers in the tibia of prenatal and early postnatal MPS VII mice. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 124(2), 135-142.
DOI Scopus13 WoS12 Europe PMC13
2017 Derrick Roberts, A., Jackson, M., Pyragius, C., & Byers, S. (2017). Substrate deprivation therapy to reduce glycosaminoglycan synthesis improves aspects of neurological and skeletal pathology in MPS I mice. Diseases, 5(1), 5-1-5-16.
DOI Europe PMC16
2017 Saville, J. T., Thai, H. N., Lehmann, R. J., Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K., & Fuller, M. (2017). Subregional brain distribution of simple and complex glycosphingolipids in the mucopolysaccharidosis type I (Hurler syndrome) mouse: impact of diet. Journal of Neurochemistry, 141(2), 287-295.
DOI Scopus19 WoS19 Europe PMC18
2016 Saville, J. T., Lehmann, R. J., Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K., & Fuller, M. (2016). Selective normalisation of regional brain bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate in the mucopolysaccharidosis 1 (Hurler) mouse. Experimental Neurology, 277, 68-75.
DOI Scopus8 WoS9 Europe PMC7
2016 Kaidonis, X., Byers, S., Ranieri, E., Sharp, P., Fletcher, J., & Derrick-Roberts, A. (2016). N-butyldeoxynojirimycin treatment restores the innate fear response and improves learning in mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA mice. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 118(2), 100-110.
DOI Scopus8 WoS8 Europe PMC8
2016 Derrick-Roberts, A., Panir, K., Pyragius, C., Zarrinkalam, K., Atkins, G., & Byers, S. (2016). Reversal of established bone pathology in MPS VII mice following lentiviral-mediated gene therapy. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 119(3), 249-257.
DOI Scopus14 WoS14 Europe PMC15
2015 Jackson, M., Derrick Roberts, A., Martin, E., Rout-Pitt, N., Gronthos, S., & Byers, S. (2015). Mucopolysaccharidosis enzyme production by bone marrow and dental pulp derived human mesenchymal stem cells. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 114(4), 584-593.
DOI Scopus10 WoS11 Europe PMC11
2014 Derrick-Roberts, A., Pyragius, C., Kaidonis, X., Jackson, M., Anson, D., & Byers, S. (2014). Lentiviral-mediated gene therapy results in sustained expression of β-Glucuronidase for up to 12 Months in the Gus mps/mps and up to 18 Months in the Gus tm(L175F)Sly mouse models of mucopolysaccharidosis type VII. Human Gene Therapy, 25(9), 798-810.
DOI Scopus19 WoS18 Europe PMC18
2014 Mcintyre, C., Derrick-Roberts, A., Byers, S., & Anson, D. (2014). Correction of murine mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA central nervous system pathology by intracerebroventricular lentiviral-mediated gene delivery. Journal of Gene Medicine, 16(11-12), 374-387.
DOI Scopus21 WoS18 Europe PMC15
2012 Derrick Roberts, A., Marais, W., & Byers, S. (2012). Rhodamine B and 2-acetamido-1,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-4-deoxy-4-fluoro-D-glucopyranose(F-GlcNAc) inhibit chondroitin/dermatan and keratan sulphate synthesis by different mechanisms in bovine chondrocytes. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 106(2), 214-220.
DOI Scopus10 WoS10 Europe PMC10
2012 Pyragius, C., Derrick Roberts, A., Ding, X., Zarrinkalam, K., McIntyre, C., Anderson, P., . . . Byers, S. (2012). Skeletal response to lentiviral mediated gene therapy in a mouse model of MPS VII. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 106(2), 202-213.
DOI Scopus29 WoS29 Europe PMC27
2010 Derrick Roberts, A., Fletcher, J., Moore, L., & Byers, S. (2010). Trans-generational exposure to low levels of rhodamine B does not adversely affect litter size or liver function in murine mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 101(2-3), 208-213.
DOI Scopus24 WoS24 Europe PMC17
2010 Kaidonis, X., Liaw, W., Derrick Roberts, A., Ly, M., Anson, D., & Byers, S. (2010). Gene silencing of EXTL2 and EXTL3 as a substrate deprivation therapy for heparan sulphate storing mucopolysaccharidoses. European Journal of Human Genetics, 18(2), 194-199.
DOI Scopus41 WoS36 Europe PMC32
2009 Derrick Roberts, A., Howarth, G., Liaw, W., Moretta, S., Kritas, S., Lymn, K., . . . Byers, S. (2009). Gastrointestinal Pathology in a Mouse Model of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIA. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 219(2), 259-264.
DOI Scopus15 WoS13 Europe PMC11
2008 McIntyre, C., Derrick Roberts, A., Ranieri, E., Clements, P., Byers, S., & Anson, D. (2008). Lentiviral-mediated gene therapy for murine mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 93(4), 411-418.
DOI Scopus30 WoS31 Europe PMC24
2007 Anson, D., McIntyre, C., Thomas, B., Koldej, R., Ranieri, E., Derrick Roberts, A., . . . Byers, S. (2007). Lentiviral-mediated gene correction of mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA. Genetic Vaccines and Therapy, 5(6), WWW 1-WWW 8.
DOI Scopus20 Europe PMC18
2007 Derrick Roberts, A., Rees, M., Klebe, S., Fletcher, J., & Byers, S. (2007). Improvement in behaviour after substrate deprivation therapy with rhodamine B in a mouse model of NIPSIIIA. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 92(1-2), 115-121.
DOI Scopus68 WoS62 Europe PMC50
2006 Derrick Roberts, A., Thomas, B., Wilkinson, A., Fletcher, J., & Byers, S. (2006). Inhibition of glycosaminoglycan synthesis using rhodamine B in a mouse model of mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA. Pediatric Research, 60(3), 309-314.
DOI Scopus77 WoS71 Europe PMC58

Year Citation
2017 Byers, S., Jiang, Z., Reichstein, C., & Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K. (2017). Cell cycle progression is disrupted in murine MPS VII growth plate chondrocytes. In MOLECULAR GENETICS AND METABOLISM Vol. 120 (pp. S33). San Diego, CA: ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE.
DOI
2016 Jiang, Z., Rossouw, C., Reichstein, C., Macsai, C. E., Jackson, M. R., Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K., & Byers, S. (2016). Reduced chondrocyte proliferation and hypertrophy contribute to delayed endochondral bone formation in murine mucopolysaccharidosis VII. In MOLECULAR GENETICS AND METABOLISM Vol. 117 (pp. S62-S63). San Diego, CA: ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE.
DOI
2015 Jackson, M. R., Robertsa, A. L. K. D., Gronthos, S., & Byers, S. (2015). α-l-Iduronidase transduced mesenchymal stem cells improve the behavioral deficits in mucopolysaccharidosis type I mice. In Abstracts Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Vol. 114 (pp. S58). Orlando, FL: Elsevier.
DOI

Year Citation
2018 Byers, S., Rout-Pitt, N., Linard, H., Vaidyanathan, S., & Derrick-Roberts, A. L. K. (2018). MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION IS MODULATED BY COMPLEX SUGARS IN MPS DISEASE. Poster session presented at the meeting of JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE. Univ Technol Sydney, Sydney, AUSTRALIA: WILEY.

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2023 Co-Supervisor 110327 - Application of plasma medicine in the treatment of burn wounds Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ruth Diana Simpson

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2015 - 2019 Co-Supervisor The Neurogenic Potential of Stem Cells is Altered in Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIA Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Rebecca Jayne Lehmann
2014 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Mechanisms of Growth Failure in Mucopolysaccharidosis VII Mice Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Zhirui Jiang

Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
2018 - ongoing Principal Supervisor An in vitro model to study growth plate function. The University of Adelaide - Honours - Daniel Deverson
2017 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Does GH or iGF1 promote bone growth in MPS VII mice ? The University of Adelaide - Honours - Niemal Usmani
  • Position: Senior Technical Officer
  • Email: ainslie.derrickroberts@adelaide.edu.au
  • Alternative Contact: ResearchFellow Future Industries Institute Mawson Lakes Campus (V1-18) tel +61 8 830 23521

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