Hannah Brown

Dr Hannah Brown

Postdoctoral Fellow

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Dr. Hannah Brown is a Robinson Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellow and is under the mentorship of Associate Professor Jeremy Thompson and Professor Sarah Robertson. She gained her PhD from the University of Adelaide and took up international postdoctoral posts in both France (INRA) and the United States (Baylor College of Medicine). Her interests lay in the fields of epigenetics and metabolism, and in particular the changing epigenetic landscape of the early embryo. She is particularly interested in how the embryo responds to physiological and pathological environmental cues, including in vitro culture, hyperglycaemia (diabetes) and inflammation (infection). Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which these cues are translated into an altered epigenetic backdrop is the key question her growing team are addressing. She is passionate about science communication and is currently a SA Young Tall Poppy.

Dr Hannah Brown is an early career researcher establishing herself in the field of reproductive metabolism, oxygen biology and epigenetics following two international postdoctoral posts.  During two international post-doctoral positions, she honed her skills in the fields of metabolism and genetics/genomics and is establishing herself in the Reproductive Epigenetics field since returning to Australia.  Her research focuses on mechanisms by which the pre-implantation embryo alters its internal dialogue in response to environmental changes (diabetes, infection, culture, oxygen), altering the transcriptional and epigenetic landscapes to establish the trajectory of the embryo, and the resultant offspring.  This research provides critical understanding into the mechanisms for the intergenerational transmission of disease (diabetes and obesity), and has direct implications for understanding the stress associated with generating embryos in vitro, as well as for providing the basis for emerging developments to assisted reproductive technologies (in vitro culture, oxygen, haemoglobin). 

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2012 Postdoctoral Fellow University of Adelaide
    2010 - 2012 Postdoctoral Associate Baylor College of Medicine
    2009 - 2010 Postdoctoral Associate Postdoctoral Associate, L’Institut National de la Recherché Agronomique (INRA)

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2016 Invitation Global Young Scientist Summit National Research Foundation Singapore —
    2015 Award Executive Dean's ECR Research Excellence Award University of Adelaide Faculty of Health Sciences Australia 1000
    2015 Award South Australian Young Investigator Award Women's and Children's Hospital — 5000
    2015 Award South Australian Young Investigator Award (People’s Choice) Women's and Children's Hospital Australia 1000
    2015 Award ECR Collaborative Travel Award Society for Reproductive Biology Australia 1500
    2014 Recognition South Australia Young Tall Poppy Australian Institute of Policy and Science Australia —
    2012 Award I’m A Scientist! Get me out of here, Australia — Australia 1000

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2005 - 2009 University of Adelaide, Discipline of Medicine Australia Docor of Philosophy
    2004 - 2004 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science, Honours (First Class; 1A)
    2001 - 2003 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science)
Date Project/ No. Investigators Funding Body Amount
2016 How periconception hyperglycaemia disturbs early life events Brown HM and Thompson JG Robinson Research Institute Investment for Success 17,000
2015 Inflammatory cytokines as causal agents in peri-conception programming of offspring health Robertson SA, Thompson JG and Brown HM NHMRC Project Grant 585,000
2015 A multi-faceted approach to understanding the consequences of diabetes in early pregnancy Brown HM, Breen J, Nottle M, Dunning KR, Gatford KA Robinson Research Institute Innovation Seed Funding 25,000
2015 Do psychosocial attributes and lifestyle behaviors moderate associations of job-related stress and cardiometabolic risk factors among residents of South Australian farming communities Dollman J, Smith A, Parfitt G, Fennell K, Dorian J, van Kessel G, Wheeler S, Turnbull D, Brown H, McDougall C Sansom Institute, UNISA 10,000
2015 Concurrent validity and feasibility of ecological momentary assessment for characterising stress and depression among South Australian farmers Dollman J, Smith A, Parfitt G, Wheeler S, Turnbull D, Brown H, McDougall C Sansom Institute, UNISA 9,000
2014 Investigating new mechanisms regulating transcription in the pre-implantation embryo Buckberry S, Searle I, Bent S, Thompson JG Robinson Research Institute Innovation Seed Funding 25,000
2014 Novel mechanisms regulating placental dysfunction in pre-eclampsia Andraweera P, Brown HM, Roberts C, Buckberry S Robinson Research Institute Innovation Seed Funding 25,000
2014 Novel mechanisms regulating intergenerational transmission of diabetes Brown HM and Thompson JG Robinson Research Institute Investment for Success 30,000
2014   Brown HM Robinson Research Institute Career Development Award 50,000
2011 Evaluating metabolic and endocrine abnormalities in Rett Syndrome: Neurology meets systems physiology Brown HM and Justice MJ Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT) 15,000
Date Role Course
2014 - current  Lecturer

Research Project in Reproduction III (Health Sciences)
2014 - current  Lecturer

School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health Hons (Health Sciences)
2011 - 2012 Lecturer Genetics; 1st and 2nd Year Medical Course, BCM, USA

 

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2017 Co-Supervisor Can hyperspectral microscopy detect metabolic variance in the oocyte and pre-implantation embryo? Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Cheow Yuen Tan
    2016 Co-Supervisor Non-reproductive uses of Zonae Pellucida Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Full Time Avishkar Saini

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2016 - 2020 Co-Supervisor The Role of Haemoglobin in Healthy Oocyte Development Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Megan Lim
    2015 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Novel Functions of Natriuretic Peptides in Mammalian Cumulus-Oocyte Complexes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Ryan David Rose

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2017 - 2019 Chair Organising Committee Epigenetics Consortium of South Australia (EpiCSA) Inc Australia
    2016 - ongoing Chair School of Medicine Early/Mid-Career Researcher Committee University of Adelaide Australia
    2016 - ongoing Member School of Medicine Research Committee University of Adelaide Australia
    2015 - ongoing Member Society for Reproductive Biology — Australia
    2014 - ongoing Member Discipline of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Honours Committee University of Adelaide Australia
    2014 - ongoing Representative Society for the Study of Reproduction — United States
    2014 - ongoing Member NHMRC — Australia
    2014 - ongoing Member New Frontiers in Reproduction Conference — —
    2013 - 2015 Member School of Pediatrics & Reproductive Health Research Committee University of Adelaide Australia
    2013 - ongoing Representative School of Paediatrics & Reproductive Health University of Adelaide Australia
    2013 - ongoing Member Young Investigator Award Women's & children's Hospital Australia
  • Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
  • Phone: 83138183
  • Email: hannah.brown@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 8313 4099
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Helen Mayo South, floor 2
  • Room: 2 22
  • Org Unit: Women's and Children's Health
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External Profiles