Stefka Tasheva

Stefka Tasheva

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr. Stefka Mincheva-Tasheva is a postdoctoral researcher in the Genome Editing Laboratory at The University of Adelaide. Her research focuses on uncovering the molecular mechanisms that govern nervous system development and contribute to neurological disease, with the aim of translating these insights into innovative therapeutic strategies.
 
Dr. Tasheva received her Ph.D. in Health Sciences from the University of Lleida (UdL), Spain, in 2011. Her doctoral research investigated the signalling pathways regulating motor neuron survival during spinal cord development and in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). During her first postdoctoral appointment at UdL, she contributed to defining the molecular basis of Friedreich ataxia and identified Calcitriol as a promising therapeutic target, demonstrating its potential to restore cellular function in this progressive neurodegenerative disorder. She then undertook a short-term postdoctoral position at The University of Queensland, where she investigated the role of cellular tight junctions in the pathophysiology of Type II Diabetes.
 
At The University of Adelaide, Dr. Tasheva’s research centres on animal disease modelling and therapeutic innovation for PCDH19-clustering epilepsy (PCDH19-CE). Over the past eight years, she has advanced understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving PCDH19-CE neuropathology and elucidated the role of PCDH19 in central nervous system development and dysfunction. Her current work focuses on developing novel gene therapy strategies with strong potential for clinical translation. In parallel, she is pioneering a non-invasive method for delivering therapeutic agents to the brain, aiming to overcome one of the key challenges in neurotherapeutics.

Dr. Stefka Mincheva-Tasheva is a postdoctoral researcher in the Genome Editing Laboratory at The University of Adelaide. Her research focuses on uncovering the molecular mechanisms that govern nervous system development and contribute to neurological disease, with the aim of translating these insights into innovative therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Tasheva received her Ph.D. in Health Sciences from the University of Lleida (UdL), Spain, in 2011. Her doctoral research investigated the signalling pathways regulating motor neuron survival during spinal cord development and in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). During her first postdoctoral appointment at UdL, she contributed to defining the molecular basis of Friedreich ataxia and identified Calcitriol as a promising therapeutic target, demonstrating its potential to restore cellular function in this progressive neurodegenerative disorder. She then undertook a short-term postdoctoral position at The University of Queensland, where she investigated the role of cellular tight junctions in the pathophysiology of Type II Diabetes.

At The University of Adelaide, Dr. Tasheva’s research centres on animal disease modelling and therapeutic innovation for PCDH19-clustering epilepsy (PCDH19-CE). Over the past eight years, she has advanced understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving PCDH19-CE neuropathology and elucidated the role of PCDH19 in central nervous system development and dysfunction. Her current work focuses on developing novel gene therapy strategies with strong potential for clinical translation. In parallel, she is pioneering a non-invasive method for delivering therapeutic agents to the brain, aiming to overcome one of the key challenges in neurotherapeutics.

Dr. Tasheva has been a CI/AI on research projects totalling nearly $2 million, underscoring her ability to secure competitive funding and contribute to high-impact, collaborative research initiatives.

(2026) Co-Chief Investigator. Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation Bloom Research Program-Rare Diseases. $500,000. Title: “Oligonucleotide therapy for PCDH19 clustering epilepsy and TIMMDC1 Smith-Haan syndrome”.

(2025) Principal Investigator. Lloyd Cox O&G Research Fund – People Support Scheme, RRI. $105,000. Title: “A Novel In Utero Gene Therapy Strategy to Prevent Neuropathology in PCDH19 Clustering Epilepsy”.

(2023-25) Co-Principal Investigator. ONLUS PCDH19 Syndrome Research Grants (Italy) $105,000. Title: “Genetic therapy- a battle against PCDH19-Clustering Epilepsy”.

(2024-25) Channel 7 Children's Research Foundation. $100,000. Title: “Investigating proof-of-concept for genetic therapy of PCDH19-Clustering Epilepsy using preclinical mouse models”.

(2024) Travel award School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide. $1200.

(2023) Travel award x 2 School of Biomedicine and Faculty of Health and Medical Science, The University of Adelaide. $3800

(2020-23) Chief Investigator B. NHMRC Ideas. $935,000. Title “Investigating the molecular pathology for PCDH19-Girls Clustering Epilepsy”.

(2019-20) Co-Principal Investigator, $110,000.  PCDH19 Alliance Research Grant (USA). Title “Exploring proof of concept for genetic therapy of PCDH19-girls clustering epilepsy using preclinical models”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Presentation

    Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
    2024 - ongoing A Novel GFP-Reporter Mouse Model for Functional Analysis of the Epilepsy Gene Pcdh19 - Australasian Neuroscience Society, Perth -
    2023 - ongoing Impaired synaptic connectivity and disrupted cell adhesion interactions in in vitro models of PCDH19-Clustering Epilepsy XXIIIrd International Conference of Genetics and Genomics, Melbourne, 2023 The University of Adelaide -
    2023 - ongoing Cell- and region-specific Pcdh19 expression and elimination: insights into PCDH19 function in health and disease; Cell- and region-specific Pdh19 expression and elimination: insights into PCDH19 function in health and disease The Univerity of Adelaide -
    2021 - ongoing Investigating the mechanisms by which mosaic expression of Protocadherin 19 leads to Clustering Epilepsy SAHMRI Precision Medicine Theme Seminar Series The University of Adelaide -
    2019 - ongoing Development of preclinical models to study PCDH19 Girls Clustering Epilepsy - The University of Adelaide -

Connect With Me
External Profiles