APrf Sally Plush
Dean of Graduate Studies
Chancellery and Council Services
Chancellery
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I am Associate Professor in Bioinorganic Chemistry at the University of South Australia and leads the Bioinorganic Synthesis and Imaging research group. I am currently acting Dean of Graduate Studies. I completed her PhD in 2004 at the University of Adelaide after which I completed a postdoctoral fellowships at Trinity College Dublin and UT Southwestern Medical Centre at Dallas. I have experience in start up companies, having co-founded ReZolve Scientific in 2014 for the sale of live cell imaging agents that were developed as a consortium of chemists and biologists in Australia. My research is mainly focused on advancing knowledge in biology and improving health, by synthesising fluorescent and luminescent imaging agents, developing new diagnostic tools and the development of novel antibacterial agents to combat the increase in antimicrobial resitance. I am heavily involved in the teaching of chemistry at UniSA where I course coordinate the large first year course Chemistry 101 and the 2nd year course Synthetic Chemistry, I also teach into Advanced Synthetic Chemistry and Advanced Structure Determination and Analysis.
My research focuses on furthering knowledge in biology and medicine through the development of imaging devices. Non-invasive imaging technologies with the ability to report on internalisation, traffic and localisation in conjunction with changes in the intracellular environment (e.g. pH, enzymolysis) have the capacity to transform the biological sector and related disciplines. Current work focuses on the use of luminescent lanthanide optical probes to study the dynamic processes of subcellular traffic and molecular interactions.
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Baghapour, S., Aslani, V., Zhang, W., Warren-Smith, S., Plush, S., Herkommer, A., . . . Shahraam Afshar, V. (2025). 3D Microprinting of Lanthanide-based polymers on optical fibers: A platform for multiplexed sensing. In 2025 Conference on Lasers and Electro Optics Europe and European Quantum Electronics Conference CLEO Europe Eqec 2025 (pp. 1). IEEE. DOI |
| 2023 | Baghapour, S., Nehema, J., Zhang, W. Q., Warren Smith, S. C., Hickey, S. M., Plush, S. E., & Sharaam, A. V. (2023). Hydrogen sulphide detection using a fibre optic platform. In Proceedings - 28th International Conference on Optical Fiber Sensors (pp. Th6.5). US: Optica Publishing Group. DOI |
| 2018 | Darby, J. R. T., Sorvina, A., Bader, C., Lock, M., Soo, J. Y., Seed, M., . . . Morrison, J. L. (2018). Redox Ratio is Higher in White Adipose Tissue Compared to Brown Adipose Tissue. In REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES Vol. 25 (pp. 139A-140A). CA, San Diego: SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC. |
| 2017 | Bader, C. A., Sorvina, A., Brooks, R. D., Johnson, I. D., Carter, E., Lay, P., . . . Brooks, D. (2017). LIPID IMAGING IN PROSTATE CANCER.. In MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL Vol. 28 (pp. 2 pages). PA, Philadelphia: AMER SOC CELL BIOLOGY. |
| 2017 | Zhang, W. Q., Morrison, J. L., Darby, J. R. T., Plush, S., Sorvina, A., Brooks, D., . . . Afshar Vahid, S. (2017). A fibre optic fluorescence sensor to measure redox level in tissues. In J. W. M. Chon, & B. Jia (Eds.), Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering Vol. 10456 (pp. 1-6). Australia: SPIE. DOI |
| 2017 | Stevens, K. G., Bader, C. A., Sorvina, A., Brooks, D. A., Plush, S. E., & Morrison, J. L. (2017). Imaging and lipidomics methods for lipid analysis in metabolic and cardiovascular disease. In JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL ORIGINS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE Vol. 8 (pp. 566-574). AUSTRALIA, Melbourne: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS. DOI WoS4 |
| 2003 | Plush, S. E., Lincoln, S. F., & Wainwright, K. P. (2003). Interactions of proximate amino acid residues in polyaza macrocyclic systems. In JOURNAL OF INORGANIC BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 96 (pp. 212). CAIMS, AUSTRALIA: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC. DOI |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Chalker, J., Hayball, J., Plush, S., & Sweetman, M. J. (2018). AU2018902544, Sorbent compositions. |
| 2018 | Brooks, D., Plush, S., Stagni, S., & Massimiliano, M. (2018). WO2018014078, Iridium complexes for intracellular imaging. |
| 2017 | Brooks, D., Plush, S., Massimilio, M., & Stagni, S. (2017). WO2017015722, Complexes for intracellular imaging. |
| 2016 | Brooks, D., Plush, S., & Massi, M. (2016). WO2016077859, Methods and products for labelling lipids. |
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Development and production of advanced carbon water purification materials, Puratap Pty Ltd, 09/12/2017 - 09/12/2020
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Development and production of advanced carbon water purification materials, SIEF STEM+ Business Fellowship Program, 09/12/2017 - 09/12/2020
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Developmental research projects for prostate cancer diagnostics and prognosis, and cancer diagnostics, prognosis and therapuetic intervention , EnVision Sciences Pty Ltd, 20/01/2017 - 28/04/2019
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Advancing Rezolve Scientific's product categories to market via undertaking further development tasks, Rezolve Scientific Pty Ltd, 21/03/2017 - 25/01/2019
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Development of re-pyridine 4 and re-mannose, Rezolve Scientific Pty Ltd, 02/01/2017 - 28/04/2018
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Process development for SCV vector vaccine production/manufacturing, DISER-Innovation Connections Grant, 21/11/2016 - 28/12/2017
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Optimisation and testing of prototype (C'Wealth funding), Cwth Dept Industry, Science, Energy & Resources, 15/05/2017 - 08/12/2017
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Innovation connections puratap development of a chemical detection device, Puratap Pty Ltd, 01/04/2016 - 30/09/2017
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Development of a chemical detection device, DISER-Innovation Connections Grant, 18/04/2016 - 18/04/2017
Courses I teach
- CHEM 1007 Chemistry 101 (2024)
- CHEM 2028 Synthetic Chemistry (2024)
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Principal Supervisor | - | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Jasmine Nehema |
| 2021 | Co-Supervisor | - | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mrs Shaghayegh Baghapour |