
Dr Melissa Pitman
Senior Lecturer
School of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Dr Melissa Pitman is the head of the newly established Ovarian Cancer and Drug Discovery Laboratory at the University of Adelaide. She gained her research training in enzymology, protein biochemistry and in silico-based drug discovery during her PhD at Flinders University. With a keen interest in cancer, Dr Pitman moved to the Centre for Cancer Biology to study the role of the sphingolipid pathway with the Molecular Therapeutics Laboratory. During her post-doctoral work she studied links between sphingolipid regulation and ovarian cancer, identifying key targets for therapeutic intervention. She utilised her skills in drug discovery to identify and validate small-molecule inhibitors that target sphingolipid signalling. Her work has led to the development of a spin-off company, Cincera Therapeutics, that is focussed on the development of anti-fibrotic agents. Dr Pitman’s work is focussed on the identification and testing of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of ovarian cancer and includes the development and use of powerful preclinical models of this disease.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2021 - ongoing Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide 2019 - ongoing Consultant Cincera Therapeutics -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2005 - 2009 Flinders University Australia Doctor of Philosophy 2004 - 2004 Flinders University Australia Bsc Honours 2001 - 2003 Flinders University Australia Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology -
Postgraduate Training
Date Title Institution Country 2021 - 2021 Medical Research Commercialisation Internship Medical Research Commercialisation Fund Australia -
Research Interests
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Journals
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Book Chapters
Year Citation 2013 Pitman, M., Jarman, K., Leclercq, T., Pham, D., & Pitson, S. (2013). Sphingosine Kinases: Biochemistry, Regulation, and Roles. In J. Chun, T. Hla, W. Moolenaar, & S. Spiegel (Eds.), Lysophospholipid Receptors: Signaling and Biochemistry (pp. 153-183). Hoboken, New Jersey; USA: Wiley.
DOI Scopus12012 Pitman, M., Pham, D., & Pitson, S. (2012). Isoform-selective assays for sphingosine kinase activity. In A. Pebay, & K. Turksen (Eds.), Sphingosine-1-Phosphate: Methods and Protocols (Vol. 874, 1 ed., pp. 21-31). United States: Springer.
DOI Scopus31 Europe PMC232006 Pitman, M. R., & Menz, R. I. (2006). Methods for protein homology modelling. In Applied Mycology and Biotechnology (Vol. 6, pp. 37-59). Elsevier.
DOI Scopus22 -
Conference Items
Year Citation 2017 Hodge, S., Tran, H. B., Jersmann, H., Tung, T. T., Hamon, R., Roscioli, E., . . . Reynolds, P. N. (2017). Differential expression of the S1P transporter, Spinster homologue 2 (Spns2), in airway epithelial cells and macrophages may drive defective macrophage function in COPD. Poster session presented at the meeting of EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL. Milan, ITALY: EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY SOC JOURNALS LTD.
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Preprint
Year Citation 2023 Calabrese, C., Nolte, H., Pitman, M., Ganesan, R., Lampe, P., Laboy, R., . . . Robinson, N. (2023). Mitochondrial translocation of TFEB regulates complex I and inflammation.
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Fellowships:
(2019-2022) |
$348,000 |
(2013-2017)
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$252,000 |
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Research Grants: |
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“Assessing novel therapeutics for the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer” CIA Pitman MR, Oehler MK, Flynn B, Pitson SM (2021) |
$360,000 |
"Nanomedicine to enhance sphingosine kinase 1 targeting in acute myeloid leukaemia and improve patient outcomes" Nguyen T, Prestidge C, CIC Pitman MR, Pitson SM (2019) |
$40,000 |
“Evaluating the use of FTY720 to permeabilise the blood-brain barrier to anti-neoplastic drugs for brain tumour therapy" Gliddon B, CIB Pitman MR, Pitson SM (2019) |
$30,000 |
“Harnessing sphingosine kinase regulation of Mcl-1 to re-sensitise chemoresistant ovarian cancer” CIA Pitman MR, Oehler M, Pitson SM (2019) |
$49,966 |
“Targeting sphingosine kinases to improve glioblastoma therapy” Pitson SM, Powell JA, CIC Pitman MR (2016) |
$68,462 |
“Defining the CIB2/SK1 axis as a prognostic indicator and chemosensitizing agent in ovarian cancer” Oehler M, Pitson SM, CIC Pitman MR (2016) |
$50,575 |
"CIB2 as a potential tumour suppressor with prognostic significance in ovarian cancer” CIA Pitman MR, Oehler M, Pitson SM (2015) |
$49, 975 |
“Targeting sphingosine kinase as a therapy for a childhood leukemia” Pitson SM, CIB Pitman MR, Powell JA, D’Andrea R (2012)
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$75,000 |
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2025 Co-Supervisor A new therapeutic approach for the childhood brain tumour diffuse midline glioma Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Ca Dat Pham 2025 Principal Supervisor Exploring the cell pathology of Gaucher disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Ashleigh Lake 2024 Co-Supervisor The design of novel peptide mimetics or small molecule inhibitors of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) for the development of broad-spectrum cancer therapeutics. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Dayna Louise Holroyd 2024 Principal Supervisor Investigating the interactions of Calcium and Intergin binding protein 1 and it’s contribution to cancer progression and chemoresistance Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Katrina Louise Schiller 2024 Principal Supervisor Investigating the role of dihydroceramide desaturase in the brain using zebrafish Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Anqi Wang 2023 Principal Supervisor Investigation of transcriptional regulators as a novel approach to treat ovarian cancer Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Suet Yee Too -
Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2022 - 2025 Principal Supervisor Investigating Lipid Metabolism and Gene Expression in High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) Disease Progression and Chemoresistance Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Nicola Sian Louisa Jones 2012 - 2018 External Supervisor Regulation of Sphingosine Kinase 1 Oncogenic Signalling by Calcium and Integrin Binding Proteins Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Wenying Zhu
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Committee Memberships
Date Role Committee Institution Country 2020 - ongoing Representative Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology South Australian Representative Australia -
Consulting/Advisories
Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country 2019 - ongoing Cincera Therapeutics Mechanism of Action Scientific research Australia
Connect With Me
External Profiles