Michelle Perugini

Dr Michelle Perugini

Director, Research Translation and Research Commercialisation

Research Services

Research & Innovation

Dr. Michelle Perugini is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in healthcare and advanced AI technologies. Michelle is an avid supporter of the AI and women’s health sectors globally, and Winner of the 2021 Women in AI (WAI) Healthcare and Telstra Brilliant Women in Digital Health Awards. She has a PhD in Medicine and was a post-doctoral research fellow in Oncology for a decade. She has founded 2 global AI tech companies, the first of which was acquired by EY in 2015. Michelle was most recently the Co-Founder and CEO of Presagen, an AI healthcare company that has developed a novel Decentralized Federated AI platform that can safely train on medical data distributed all around the world, without the need to physically move (centralized) or manually view private patient data. Presagen’s flagship product suite, Life Whisperer, uses AI to assess images of embryos and eggs (oocytes) to improve IVF outcomes for couples struggling with fertility. Life Whisperer was authorized for sale in 47 countries prior to being acquired by global IVF manufacturer Astec in 2024. In 2024, Presagen merged with Qubist to form Qubigen, an company focused on AI driven drug design, where Michelle is a Co-Founder and Board Chair. Michelle is currently Head of Commercialisation at University of South Australia, and CEO of UniSA Ventures.

Year Citation
2025 Munné, S., Horcajadas, J. A., Seth-Smith, M. L., Perugini, M., & Griffin, D. K. (2025). Non-invasive selection for euploid embryos: prospects and pitfalls of the three most promising approaches. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 51(5).
DOI Scopus1 Europe PMC1
2024 Hall, J. M. M., Nguyen, T. V., Dinsmore, A. W., Perugini, D., Perugini, M., Fukunaga, N., . . . Diakiw, S. M. (2024). Use of federated learning to develop an artificial intelligence model predicting usable blastocyst formation from pre-ICSI oocyte images. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 49(6), 19 pages.
DOI Scopus6 WoS4 Europe PMC2
2023 Nguyen, T. V., Diakiw, S. M., VerMilyea, M. D., Dinsmore, A. W., Perugini, M., Perugini, D., & Hall, J. M. M. (2023). Efficient automated error detection in medical data using deep-learning and label-clustering. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 19 pages.
DOI Scopus7 WoS5 Europe PMC1
2023 Nguyen, T. V., Diakiw, S. M., VerMilyea, M. D., Dinsmore, A. W., Perugini, M., Perugini, D., & Hall, J. M. M. (2023). Author Correction: Efficient automated error detection in medical data using deep-learning and label-clustering (Scientific Reports, (2023), 13, 1, (19587), 10.1038/s41598-023-45946-y). Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1 page.
DOI
2022 Nguyen, T. V., Dakka, M. A., Diakiw, S. M., VerMilyea, M. D., Perugini, M., Hall, J. M. M., & Perugini, D. (2022). A novel decentralized federated learning approach to train on globally distributed, poor quality, and protected private medical data.. Scientific reports, 12(1), 12 pages.
DOI Scopus60 WoS44 Europe PMC23
2022 Diakiw, S. M., Hall, J. M. M., VerMilyea, M. D., Amin, J., Aizpurua, J., Giardini, L., . . . Perugini, M. (2022). Development of an artificial intelligence model for predicting the likelihood of human embryo euploidy based on blastocyst images from multiple imaging systems during IVF. Human Reproduction, 37(8), 1746-1759.
DOI Scopus74 WoS61 Europe PMC46
2022 Fraire-Zamora, J. J., Ali, Z. E., Makieva, S., Massarotti, C., Kohlhepp, F., Liperis, G., . . . Mincheva, M. (2022). #ESHREjc report: on the road to preconception and personalized counselling with machine learning models. Human Reproduction, 37(8), 1955-1957.
DOI Scopus2
2022 Diakiw, S. M., Hall, J. M. M., VerMilyea, M., Lim, A. Y. X., Quangkananurug, W., Chanchamroen, S., . . . Perugini, M. (2022). An artificial intelligence model correlated with morphological and genetic features of blastocyst quality improves ranking of viable embryos.. Reprod Biomed Online, 45(6), 1105-1117.
DOI Scopus49 WoS40 Europe PMC33
2021 Dakka, M. A., Nguyen, T. V., Hall, J. M. M., Diakiw, S. M., VerMilyea, M., Linke, R., . . . Perugini, D. (2021). Automated detection of poor-quality data: case studies in healthcare. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 10 pages.
DOI Scopus22 WoS19 Europe PMC13
2020 VerMilyea, M., Hall, J. M. M., Diakiw, S. M., Johnston, A., Nguyen, T., Perugini, D., . . . Perugini, M. (2020). Development of an artificial intelligence-based assessment model for prediction of embryo viability using static images captured by optical light microscopy during IVF. Human reproduction (Oxford, England), 35(4), 770-784.
DOI Scopus238 WoS196 Europe PMC173
2018 Beck, D., Thoms, J., Palu, C., Herold, T., Shah, A., Olivier, J., . . . Pimanda, J. (2018). A four-gene lincRNA expression signature predicts risk in multiple cohorts of acute myeloid leukemia patients. Leukemia, 32(2), 263-272.
DOI Scopus38 WoS37 Europe PMC27
2017 Sadras, T., Kok, C., Perugini, M., Ramshaw, H., & D'Andrea, R. (2017). miR-155 as a potential target of IL-3 signaling in primary AML cells. Leukemia Research, 57, 57-59.
DOI Scopus8 WoS7 Europe PMC6
2014 Perugini, M., Samaraweera, S. E., Brown, A. L., Cummings, N., Danner, S., Tiong, I. S., . . . D'Andrea, R. J. (2014). The Significance of GADD45A Promoter DNA Hypermethylation in AML: Association with IDH1/2 and TET2 Mutation. BLOOD, 124(21), 3 pages.
2014 Tan, P., Wei, A., Mithraprabhu, S., Cummings, N., Liu, H., Perugini, M., . . . Spencer, A. (2014). Dual epigenetic targeting with panobinostat and azacitidine in acute myeloid leukemia and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome. Blood Cancer Journal, 4(1), e170-1-e170-8.
DOI Scopus91 WoS85 Europe PMC76
2014 Sadras, T., Perugini, M., Kok, C., Iarossi, D., Heatley, S., Brumatti, G., . . . D'Andrea, R. (2014). Interleukin-3-mediated regulation of β-catenin in myeloid transformation and acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 96(1), 83-91.
DOI Scopus18 WoS17 Europe PMC13
2014 Pishas, K., Neuhaus, S., Clayer, M., Schreiber, A., Lawrence, D., Perugini, M., . . . Neilsen, P. (2014). Nutlin-3a efficacy in sarcoma predicted by transcriptomic and epigenetic profiling. Cancer Research, 74(3), 921-931.
DOI Scopus22 WoS22 Europe PMC22
2013 Perugini, M., Iarossi, D., Kok, C., Cummings, N., Diakiw, S., Brown, A., . . . D'Andrea, R. (2013). GADD45A methylation predicts poor overall survival in acute myeloid leukemia and is associated with IDH1/2 and DNMT3A mutations. Leukemia, 27(7), 1588-1592.
DOI Scopus22 WoS21 Europe PMC21
2013 Diakiw, S., Perugini, M., Kok, C., Engler, G., Cummings, N., To, L., . . . D'Andrea, R. (2013). Methylation of KLF5 contributes to reduced expression in acute myeloid leukaemia and is associated with poor overall survival. British Journal of Haematology, 161(6), 884-888.
DOI Scopus17 WoS16 Europe PMC13
2013 Kok, C., Brown, A., Perugini, M., Iarossi, D., Lewis, I., & D'Andrea, R. (2013). The preferential occurrence of FLT3-TKD mutations in inv(16) AML and impact on survival outcome: A combined analysis of 1053 core-binding factor AML patients. British Journal of Haematology, 160(4), 557-559.
DOI Scopus9 WoS11 Europe PMC9
2013 Hercus, T., Dhagat, U., Kan, W., Broughton, S., Nero, T., Perugini, M., . . . Lopez, A. (2013). Signalling by the βc family of cytokines. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews, 24(3), 189-201.
DOI Scopus87 WoS79 Europe PMC73
2012 Hercus, T., Broughton, S., Ekert, P., Ramshaw, H., Perugini, M., Grimbaldeston, M., . . . Lopez, A. (2012). The GM-CSF receptor family: mechanism of activation and implications for disease. Growth Factors, 30(2), 63-75.
DOI Scopus63 WoS59 Europe PMC54
2012 Ho, Y., Penno, M., Perugini, M., Lewis, I., & Hoffmann, P. (2012). Evaluating the efficacy of subcellular fractionation of blast cells using live cell labeling and 2D DIGE. Methods in molecular biology, 854, 319-332.
DOI
2012 Brown, A., Salerno, D., Sadras, T., Engler, G., Kok, C., Wilkinson, C., . . . D'Andrea, R. (2012). The GM-CSF receptor utilizes β-catenin and Tcf4 to specify macrophage lineage differentiation. Differentiation, 83(1), 47-59.
DOI Scopus23 WoS21 Europe PMC20
2010 Perugini, M., Lee, H., McRae, S., & D'Andrea, R. (2010). Pharmacotherapy of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) with romiplostim. Clinical Medicine Reviews in Therapeutics, 2(2), 1-7.
DOI
2010 Lopez, A., Hercus, T., Ekert, P., Littler, D., Guthridge, M., Thomas, D., . . . Parker, M. (2010). Molecular basis of cytokine receptor activation. IUBMB Life, 62(7), 509-518.
DOI Scopus64 WoS58 Europe PMC46
2010 Perugini, M., Brown, A., Salerno, D., Booker, G., Stojkoski, C., Hercus, T., . . . D'Andrea, R. (2010). Alternative modes of GM-CSF receptor activation revealed using activated mutants of the common β-subunit. Blood, 115(16), 3346-3353.
DOI Scopus59 WoS52 Europe PMC45
2009 Perugini, M., Kok, C., Brown, A., Wilkinson, C., Salerno, D., Young, S., . . . D'Andrea, R. (2009). Repression of Gadd45α by activated FLT3 and GM-CSF receptor mutants contributes to growth, survival and blocked differentiation. Leukemia, 23(4), 729-738.
DOI Scopus20 WoS19 Europe PMC21
2009 Perugini, M., Varelias, A., Sadlon, T., & D'Andrea, R. (2009). Hematopoietic growth factor mimetics: From concept to clinic. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews, 20(1), 87-94.
DOI Scopus25 WoS26 Europe PMC23

Year Citation
2016 Samaraweera, S. E., Garrett-Bakelman, F. E., Neelamraju, Y., Perugini, M., Casolari, D. A., Iarossi, D., . . . D'Andrea, R. (2016). Hypermethylation of GADD45A Defines a Methylation Profile Distinct to Mutant IDH1/2, and Correlates with More Aggressive AML. In BLOOD Vol. 128 (pp. 6 pages). San Diego, CA: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY.
DOI
2015 Hahn, C. N., Babic, M., Schreiber, A. W., Kutyna, M. M., Wee, L. A., Brown, A. L., . . . Hiwase, D. (2015). Rare and Common Germline Variants Contribute to Occurrence of Myelodysplastic Syndrome. In BLOOD Vol. 126 (pp. 4 pages). Orlando, FL: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY.
DOI WoS3
2011 D'Andrea, R. J., Perugini, M., Kok, C. H., Salerno, D., Danner, S., Bardy, P. G., . . . Lewis, I. D. (2011). Methylation of a Single CpG in the <i>GADD45A</i> Proximal Promoter Is Associated with Poor Survival in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. In BLOOD Vol. 118 (pp. 1511). San Diego, CA: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY.
2010 Perugini, M., Brown, A. L., Diakiw, S., Kok, C., Danner, S., Lewis, I. D., & D'Andrea, R. J. (2010). REPRESSION OF GADD45A BY DNA METHYLATION IN ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA (AML). In EXPERIMENTAL HEMATOLOGY Vol. 38 (pp. S54-S55). Melbourne, AUSTRALIA: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC.
2010 Sadras, T., Perugini, M., Ramshaw, H. S., Salerno, D. G., Lewis, I. D., Lopez, A. F., . . . D'Andrea, R. J. (2010). IL-3 MEDIATED ACTIVATION OF β-CATENIN IN ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA. In EXPERIMENTAL HEMATOLOGY Vol. 38 (pp. S59). Melbourne, AUSTRALIA: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC.
2010 Brown, A. L., Salerno, D. G., Wilkinson, C., Sadras, T., Kok, C., Perugini, M., . . . D'Andrea, R. J. (2010). THE GM-CSF RECEPTOR UTILIZES BETA-CATENIN AND TCF4 TO SPECIFY MACROPHAGE LINEAGE DIFFERENTIATION. In EXPERIMENTAL HEMATOLOGY Vol. 38 (pp. S46). Melbourne, AUSTRALIA: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC.
2008 Brown, A., Salerno, D., Wilkinson, C., Perugini, M., Kok, C., Goodall, G., . . . D'Andrea, R. (2008). The GM-CSF Receptor Utilises Members of the Canonical Wnt-Signaling Pathway during Macrophage Differentiation. In BLOOD Vol. 112 (pp. 1313). San Francisco, CA: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY.
WoS1

Year Citation
2016 Beck, D., Thoms, J., Palu, C., Herold, T., Shah, A., Olivier, J., . . . Pimanda, J. (2016). INTEGRATIVE ANALYSIS OF LINCRNA EXPRESSION IN 922 ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA PATIENTS REVEALS MULTIPLE PROGNOSTIC GENE SIGNATURES. Poster session presented at the meeting of HAEMATOLOGICA. Copenhagen, DENMARK: FERRATA STORTI FOUNDATION.
2012 Brown, A. L., Diakiw, S. M., Perugini, M., Cummings, N., Wei, A. H., To, L. B., . . . D'Andrea, R. J. (2012). A Regulatory Promoter Polymorphism and Hypermethylation of Intron 1 Are Associated with Reduced Expression of <i>KLF5</i> and Inferior Survival in AML. Poster session presented at the meeting of BLOOD. Atlanta, GA: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY.
DOI
2012 D'Andrea, R. J., Perugini, M., Diakiw, S. M., Kok, C. H., Salerno, D., Cummings, N., . . . Lewis, I. D. (2012). Methylation of the Proximal Promoter of <i>GADD45A</i> Is Common in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Is Associated with Poor Survival. Poster session presented at the meeting of BLOOD. Atlanta, GA: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY.
DOI
2012 Casolari, D. A., Ishiko, J., Perugini, M., D'Andrea, R. J., & Melo, J. V. (2012). BCR-ABL-Induced Downregulation of <i>GADD45G</i> in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of BLOOD. Atlanta, GA: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY.
DOI
2012 Bray, S. C. E., Wee, A., Perugini, M., To, L. B., & D'Andrea, R. J. (2012). Expression of Erythroid Transcription Factors Are Decreased in a RPS19 Knockdown Cell Line Model of Diamond Blackfan Anaemia. Poster session presented at the meeting of BLOOD. Atlanta, GA: AMER SOC HEMATOLOGY.
DOI
2011 Sadras, T., Perugini, M., Ramshaw, H. S., Salerno, D. G., Kok, C. H., Lewis, I. D., . . . D'Andrea, R. J. (2011). IL-3 REGULATES B-CATENIN IN MYELOID CELLS AND ENFORCED EXPRESSION OF B-CATENIN REDUCES THE DEPENDENCY ON IL-3 FOR SURVIVAL. Poster session presented at the meeting of EXPERIMENTAL HEMATOLOGY. ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC.

  • The role of the GADD45A gene in AML pathogenesis and response to therapy, Cancer Council SA - Beat Cancer, 01/01/2016 - 30/06/2017

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2009 - 2013 Co-Supervisor Investigation of the Role and Mechanism of Beta-Catenin Activation in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Teresa Sadras
  • Position: Director, Research Translation and Research Commercialisation
  • Email: michelle.perugini@adelaide.edu.au
  • Alternative Contact: Tammie Salvemini (tammie.salvemini@unisa.edu.au)

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