Research Interests
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Cancer Cell Biology Cancer Genetics Cell BiologyDr Charlotte Toomes
Grant-Funded Researcher (A)
SAIGENCI
College of Health
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Dr Charlotte Toomes is an early-career researcher dedicated to discovering new cancer therapies. Following her BSc (Hons I) degree (2018), Dr Toomes completed her PhD at the University of Adelaide (2022) in the Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Lab at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), where she identified novel mechanisms of drug resistance within a high-risk leukaemia subtype. She then joined the Haematology Research Lab at Flinders University in the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), establishing a multiple myeloma patient biobank and demonstrating the prognostic potential of a novel biomarker. Dr Toomes has now recently joined the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI), where she aims to improve immunotherapy responses in pancreatic cancer by identifying new therapeutic targets.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | Postdoctoral Researcher | University of Adelaide |
| 2024 - 2024 | Teaching Facilitator - Skills for Medical Scientists I | Flinders University |
| 2024 - 2024 | Teaching Facilitator - Human Bioscience I | Flinders University |
| 2022 - 2025 | Postdoctoral Researcher | Flinders University |
| 2021 - 2022 | Junior Postgraduate Researcher | South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute |
| 2021 - 2022 | Laboratory Practical Demonstrator - Molecular & Cellular Biology III | University of Adelaide |
| 2021 - 2021 | Laboratory Practical Demonstrator - Molecular & Biomedical Science II | University of Adelaide |
| 2017 - 2018 | SAHMRI Summer Intern | South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute |
| 2017 - 2018 | Waitress | Stamps Restaurant |
| 2017 - 2017 | Waitress | El Carbon South American Bar & Grill |
| 2016 - 2017 | SAHMRI Summer Intern | South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute |
| 2013 - 2016 | Waitress | Maiz and Mezcal Mexian Restaurant |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Award | International Myeloma Society (IMS) Annual Meeting: Young Investigator Award | International Myeloma Society (IMS) | Brazil | - |
| 2024 | Award | College of Medicine & Public Health: Early- and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Travel Award | Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute (FHMRI) | Australia | - |
| 2023 | Award | College of Medicine & Public Health Emerging Leaders Showcase: Best Short Talk from an Early-Career Academic | Flinders University | Australia | - |
| 2021 | Award | SAHMRI Research Showcase: 3-Minute Thesis Runner-Up Prize | South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) | Australia | - |
| 2021 | Award | Lorne Cancer: Student Travel Bursary | Lorne Cancer | Australia | - |
| 2021 | Award | Lorne Cancer: Poster Prize | Lorne Cancer | Australia | - |
| 2020 | Award | American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition: Abstract Achievement Award | American Society of Hematology (ASH) | United States | - |
| 2020 | Award | School of Biological Sciences 3-Minute Thesis Competition: Runner-Up Prize | The University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2018 | Award | European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Australia Postgraduate Symposium: Post-Grad Travel Grant | European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Australia | Australia | - |
| 2018 | Scholarship | Research Training Program (RTP) stipend | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| 2017 | Scholarship | SAHMRI Summer Vacation Scholarship | South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute | Australia | - |
| 2016 | Scholarship | SAHMRI Summer Vacation Scholarship | South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute | Australia | - |
| 2016 | Award | Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award | Adelaide University | Australia | - |
| 2015 | Award | Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award | University of Adelaide | Australia | - |
| Language | Competency |
|---|---|
| English | Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 - 2022 | University of Adelaide | Australia | PhD (Molecular & Biomedical Science) |
| 2017 - 2017 | University of Adelaide | Australia | Honours of Bachelor of Science (Molecular & Cellular Biology) |
| 2014 - 2016 | University of Adelaide | Australia | Bachelor of Science (Advanced) |
| Date | Title | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | Mentee - Researcher Mentoring Program for Early-Career Researchers | Flinders University | Australia |
| — | HDR Supervisor Development Training | University of Adelaide | Australia |
| — | 2024 Consumer and Community Involvement in Research Masterclass | Health Translation SA | Australia |
| — | 2024 Bridge Program for commercialisation of new pharmaceuticals | Queensland University of Technology | Australia |
| — | PADI Advanced Open Water Diver | Adelaide Scuba | Australia |
| — | HDR Supervisor Development Training | Flinders University | Australia |
| — | Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Training | Syneos Health (Germany) | Germany |
| — | Introduction to University Teaching | University of Adelaide | Australia |
| — | Mentee - Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (IMNIS) Program | Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (IMNIS) | Australia |
| — | PADI Open Water Diver | Diving Adelaide | Australia |
| — | 5th EMBL Australia PhD Course | EMBL Australia | Australia |
| — | Fall into Bioinformatics Training | University of Adelaide | Australia |
| — | Responsible Person’s Badge | Maiz and Mezcal Mexican Restaurant | - |
| — | Certificate II in Hospitality | Quality Training and Hospitality College | Australia |
| — | Practice of Music | Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) | Australia |
| — | Theory of Music | Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) | Australia |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Best, G., Ebert, L., Vandyke, K., Cockshell, M., . . . Bonder, C. (2024). Elevated Desmoglein-2 Surface Expression Is an Independent Predictor of Poor Outcome in Multiple Myeloma. Poster session presented at the meeting of CLINICAL LYMPHOMA MYELOMA & LEUKEMIA. CIG MEDIA GROUP, LP. |
| 2024 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Best, G., Ebert, L., Vandyke, K., Cockshell, M., . . . Bonder, C. (2024). Elevated desmoglein-2 surface expression is a predictor of poor outcome in multiple myeloma. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, SA Cancer Clinical Research Symposium. |
| 2024 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Best, G., Ebert, L., Vandyke, K., Cockshell, M., . . . Bonder, C. (2024). Elevated desmoglein-2 surface expression is an independent predictor of poor outcome in multiple myeloma. Poster session presented at the meeting of Oral, Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) National Scientific Conference. |
| 2023 | Toomes, C., Best, G., McClure, B., Bonder, C., & Wallington-Gates, C. (2023). Understanding Desmoglein-2 (DSG2) and its association with poor outcomes in multiple myeloma. Poster session presented at the meeting of Oral, Flinders University Emerging Leaders Showcase. |
| 2022 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Bruning, J., Page, E., Breen, J., Rehn, J., . . . White, D. (2022). Acquired JAK2 kinase domain mutations confer resistance to JAK inhibitors in in vitro models of a high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, New Directions in Leukaemia Research (NDLR). |
| 2021 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Bruning, J., Breen, J., Rehn, J., Yeung, D., & White, D. (2021). Acquired JAK2 kinase domain mutations confer resistance to JAK inhibitors in cell models of a high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Oral, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Research Showcase. |
| 2021 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Bruning, J., Breen, J., Rehn, J., Hughes, T., . . . White, D. (2021). Acquired mutations within the JAK2 kinase domain confer resistance to JAK inhibitors in in vitro models of a high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, Lorne Cancer Conference. |
| 2021 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Bruning, J., Breen, J., Rehn, J., Hughes, T., . . . Yeung, D. (2021). Acquired mutations within the JAK2 kinase domain confer resistance to JAK inhibitors in in vitro models of high-risk ALL. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, European School of Haematology (ESH) Translational Research Conference. |
| 2021 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Bruning, J., Breen, J., Rehn, J., Yeung, D., & White, D. (2021). Acquired mutations within the JAK2 kinase domain confer resistance to JAK inhibitors in in vitro models of a high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, Australian and New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group (ANZCHOG) Annual Scientific Meeting. |
| 2021 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Bruning, J., Breen, J., Rehn, J., Yeung, D., & White, D. (2021). Acquired mutations within the JAK2 kinase domain confer resistance to JAK inhibitors in in vitro models of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Oral, Haematology Society of Australia & New Zealand (HSANZ) Blood Meeting. |
| 2020 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Bruning, J., & White, D. (2020). The race is on in high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Oral, University of Adelaide School of Biological Sciences Postgraduate Symposium. |
| 2020 | Downes, C. E. J., McClure, B. J., Rehn, J., Breen, J., Bruning, J. B., Yeung, D. T., & White, D. L. (2020). Acquired Mutations within the JAK2 Kinase Domain Confer Resistance to JAK Inhibitors in an <i>in Vitro</i> model of a High-Risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of BLOOD. ELECTR NETWORK: ELSEVIER. DOI WoS2 |
| 2019 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Mayne, B., Bruning, J., Heatley, S., Kok, C., . . . White, D. (2019). Identification and characterisation of ruxolitinib resistant mutations in JAK2-rearranged B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) SA Meeting. |
| 2019 | Toomes, C., McClure, B., Bruning, J., & White, D. (2019). JAK2 kinase domain mutations confer resistance to JAK inhibitors in a pro-B cell model of high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, University of Adelaide School of Biological Sciences Postgraduate Symposium. |
| 2018 | Downes, C., McClure, B., & White, D. L. (2018). Identification of ruxolitinib resistance mutations in Pro-B cells driven by a high-risk B-ALL JAK2-fusion. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma Symposium (CLLS). Helsinki, Finland. |
| 2018 | Downes, C. E., McClure, B. J., Heatley, S. L., Yeung, D. T., & White, D. L. (2018). Identification of ruxolitinib resistance mutations in Pro-B cells driven by a high-risk B-ALL JAK2-fusion. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, New Directions in Leukaemia Research (NDLR). |
| 2018 | Downes, C. E., McClure, B. J., Mayne, B. T., Bruning, J. B., Heatley, S. L., Kok, C., . . . White, D. L. (2018). Identification and computational modelling of ruxolitinib resistant mutations in JAK2-rearranged B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, Adelaide Protein Group (APG) Student Awards. |
| 2018 | Downes, C. E., McClure, B. J., Mayne, B. T., Bruning, J. B., Heatley, S. L., Kok, C., . . . White, D. L. (2018). Identification of ruxolitinib resistance mutations in Pro-B cells driven by a high-risk JAK2 fusion in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Oral, Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) SA Meeting. |
| 2018 | Downes, C. E., McClure, B. J., Mayne, B. T., Bruning, J. B., Heatley, S. L., Kok, C., . . . White, D. L. (2018). Identification and Characterisation of Ruxolitinib Resistant Mutations in JAK2-rearranged B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, Australasian Genomic Technologies Association (AGTA) Annual Conference. |
| 2018 | Downes, C. E., McClure, B. J., Mayne, B. T., Bruning, J. B., Heatley, S. L., Kok, C., . . . White, D. L. (2018). Identification of ruxolitinib resistance mutations in Pro-B cells driven by a high-risk B-ALL JAK2-fusion. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, Australian and New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group (ANZCHOG) Annual Scientific Meeting. |
| 2018 | Downes, C. E., McClure, B. J., Mayne, B. T., Bruning, J. B., Heatley, S. L., Kok, C., . . . White, D. L. (2018). Identification and computational modelling of ruxolitinib resistant mutations in JAK2-rearranged B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Annual Scientific Meeting. |
| 2018 | Downes, C. E., McClure, B. J., Mayne, B. T., Bruning, J. B., Heatley, S. L., Kok, C., . . . White, D. L. (2018). Identification and computational modelling of ruxolitinib resistant mutations in JAK2-rearranged B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Australia Postgraduate Symposium. |
| 2017 | Downes, C. E., McClure, B. M., Heatley, S. H., Sadras, T. S., Hughes, T. H., Kok, C. K., . . . White, D. W. (2017). Identification and cloning of a novel GOLGA4-JAK2 fusion from an adult patient with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Poster, Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) SA Meeting. Adelaide. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Toomes, C. (2022). Precision Medicine Approaches for JAK2- Rearranged Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia: The Efficacy of Targeted Therapies and Molecular Mechanisms of Drug Resistance. (PhD Thesis). |
| 2017 | Downes, C. E. (2017). Cloning, Signalling Characterisation and JAK2 Inhibitor-Resistance of Two JAK2 Fusions in High-Risk B-ALL. (Undergraduate Dissertation). |
| Date | Role | Board name | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | Board Member | Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) Board of Directors | Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) | Australia |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | Member | Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI) Cancer Impact Early- and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Committee | Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI) | Australia |
| 2023 - 2025 | Member | Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) South Australian Committee | Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) | Australia |
| 2019 - 2020 | Member | South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Student Association | South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) | Australia |
| Date | Role | Membership | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 - 2025 | Representative | Ambassador: Flinders Foundation | Australia |
| 2019 - 2020 | Member | American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) | Australia |
| 2018 - 2019 | Member | Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand (HSANZ) | Australia |
| 2018 - ongoing | Member | Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) | Australia |
| 2017 - 2023 | Member | AusBiotech | Australia |
| 2014 - 2017 | Member | Adelaide University Sciences Association (AUScA) | Australia |
| Date | Title | Engagement Type | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | Outreach Volunteer: Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) Science Alive! Stall | Public Community Engagement | Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) | - |
| 2024 - 2024 | Fundraising Coordinator: Flinders Foundation Plunge Event | Public Community Engagement | Flinders Foundation | - |
| 2024 - ongoing | Facilitator and speaker: Multiple Myeloma Public Forum | Public Community Engagement | Flinders Foundation | - |
| 2023 - 2023 | Fundraising Coordinator: Flinders Foundation Plunge Event | Public Community Engagement | Flinders Foundation | - |
| 2018 - 2022 | Volunteer Public Tour Speaker for the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) | Public Community Engagement | South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) | - |
| 2017 - ongoing | Student Volunteer for AusBiotech | Scientific Community Engagement | AusBiotech | - |
| 2017 - 2021 | Fundraising Volunteer for the Leukaemia Foundation | Public Community Engagement | Leukaemia Foundation | - |
| 2017 - ongoing | Fundraising Volunteer for Cancer Council SA | Public Community Engagement | Cancer Council SA | Australia |
| Date | Title | Type | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | Assesor: Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) SA Meeting | Conference Review | Flinders University | - |
| 2025 - ongoing | 3-Minute Thesis Assessor: College of Medicine & Public Health College Heat | Peer Review | Flinders University | - |
| 2024 - ongoing | Oral Assessor: Bachelor of Medical Science Placement Student | Peer Review | Flinders University | - |
| 2024 - ongoing | Assessor: Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) SA Meeting | Conference Review | Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) | - |
| 2024 - ongoing | Poster Assessor: 10X 2nd-Year Skills for Medical Scientists Student Posters | Peer Review | Flinders University | - |
| 2024 - ongoing | Examiner: Master's Student Thesis | Peer Review | Curtin University | - |
| 2024 - 2024 | Examiner: 2X Bachelor of Medical Science Honours Students | Peer Review | Flinders University | - |
| 2023 - ongoing | 3-Minute Thesis Assessor: College of Medicine & Public Health Emerging Leaders Showcase | Peer Review | Flinders University | - |
| 2023 - ongoing | Poster Assessor: 5X 2nd-Year Skills for Medical Scientists Student Posters | Peer Review | Flinders University | - |
| 2023 - ongoing | Abstract Assessor: Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) SA Meeting | Conference Review | Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) | - |
| 2022 - ongoing | Peer Reviewer: Journal Article (Cancer Letters) | Journal Review | Cancer Letters | - |
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