Dr Sanam Mustafa is an internationally trained molecular pharmacologist. Her research combines molecular biology, neuroimmunology, precision medicine and biomarker discovery to understand how cells communicate during health and disease. At Adelaide University, she develops innovative molecular technologies that reveal fundamental biological signalling processes and translate these discoveries into applications that improve diagnosis, prediction and treatment across healthcare, defence and human performance.

Sanam completed her M.Sci. (Honours) in Genetics at the University of Glasgow, including an industrial placement within the Comparative Genomics Department at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), before undertaking a PhD in Molecular Pharmacology under the supervision of internationally recognised GPCR researchers Professor Graeme Milligan and Dr Alan Wise. Her PhD, jointly funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and GSK, provided advanced training in receptor pharmacology, molecular biology and drug discovery, including experience within GSK's high-throughput screening laboratories. Following postdoctoral research at the University of Western Australia and Dimerix Ltd investigating receptor signalling and protein-protein interactions, she joined the University of Adelaide where she established an internationally recognised multidisciplinary research program spanning molecular pharmacology, neuroimmunology and translational biomedical science.

Sanam's research seeks to understand the fundamental biological mechanisms governing communication between the immune system and the nervous system. These signalling pathways underpin numerous physiological and pathological processes, including chronic pain, neurodegeneration, infection, autoimmune disease, sleep regulation, fertility and responses to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. Although innate immune signalling plays a central role in these conditions, researchers have historically lacked technologies capable of directly observing immune receptor behaviour in living cells in real time.

To address this challenge, Sanam has developed a suite of innovative molecular technologies for investigating receptor signalling, including the illuminating Toll-like receptor 4 assay (iTLR4 assay), the first platform capable of measuring ligand-dependent conformational changes of the innate immune receptor Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in real time. This internationally unique technology enables researchers to visualise the earliest molecular events governing innate immune activation and provides unprecedented opportunities for drug discovery, mechanistic biology and precision medicine. Building on this platform, she has also developed ARTIIST (A Real-Time Innate Immune Screening Technology), extending these discoveries towards translational applications in immune monitoring and therapeutic screening.

More broadly, Sanam's research integrates molecular biology, genetics, pharmacology and systems biology to identify biomarkers that improve our understanding of disease susceptibility, immune activation and human performance. Working closely with clinicians, engineers, physicists, chemists, defence scientists and industry partners, her research has identified candidate blood biomarkers associated with cognitive performance, injury prediction and immune responses, demonstrating how fundamental molecular discoveries can be translated into practical applications. This translational approach has attracted more than $4.8 million in competitive funding from organisations including the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC), the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.

Sanam has published in leading international journals, with most of her recent publications appearing in first-quartile journals including Brain, Behaviour & Immunity, Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Neurobiology of Disease. Her publications are cited above the world average for her field and have attracted international media attention, reflecting the broad scientific and translational impact of her work. Her research has also been recognised through numerous competitive awards, including Science & Technology Australia's inaugural Superstar of STEM, the University of Adelaide Executive Dean's Medal for Engagement and Advancement, and the School of Biomedicine Publication Award.

Alongside her research, Sanam is a passionate educator and mentor who has coordinated courses in Precision Medicine (undergraduate) and Honours Foundation Research Skills, contributed to curriculum development and assessment across Biomedical Science programs while supervising Honours, Masters and PhD students, research assistants and postdoctoral researchers. She believes that research and teaching are intrinsically linked and is committed to developing the next generation of biomedical scientists capable of translating laboratory discoveries into improved patient outcomes.

Beyond the laboratory, Sanam has established a record of collaborative leadership. She has served as Vice President of BLiSS Science & Innovation Inc., chaired the BLiSS Adelaide Chapter, contributed to university and national committees, and developed collaborations with Defence Science and Technology Group that have strengthened research partnerships between academia, government and industry. She is equally committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in science through mentoring, advocacy and public engagement, serving on the advisory boards of aKIDemic Life and Academics for Palestine – South Australia, while actively promoting more inclusive research cultures.

Sanam's long-term vision is to transform our understanding of cellular communication by developing next-generation molecular technologies that bridge fundamental biology with clinical and diagnostic applications. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, innovative assay development and translational research, her program seeks to accelerate the discovery of biomarkers and therapeutics that improve human health, resilience and precision medicine.