Our Scientists
Roland Shu
Dr Roland Shu is a Principal Scientist at Cartherics. He joined the team in 2016 from Monash University where he previously worked on neural stem cell biology and Multiple Sclerosis therapy. At Cartherics, Roland focuses on designing molecular constructs, CRISPR gene editing and autologous cell product manufacturing. His long-term goal is to make Australia’s first CRISPR-Cas9 gene-modified CAR-T cells for cancer patients. He sees such products as ‘living drugs’.
Originally from China, Roland studied Biotechnology at Wuhan University where he received his Bachelor degree. He completed his PhD in molecular genetics at the Institute of Health Sciences of China’s Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Before moving to Australia, Roland worked as a researcher for three years at GlaxoSmithKline’s Shanghai R&D centre.
Nhu-Y Nguyen
Dr Nhu-Y Nguyen is a Research Fellow and Laboratory Manager at Cartherics. She received her PhD in 2011 from the University of Melbourne, focusing on the effects of targeting different signalling pathways involved in hematopoiesis. Following her PhD, Nhu-Y conducted her postdoctoral training at Monash University’s Australian Centre for Blood Diseases. There she devised a novel xenograft model for assessing new combination therapies for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.
As a Laboratory Manager at Cartherics, Nhu-Y handles the day-to-day running of the Science Team. As a Research Fellow, she drives in vivo studies. She enjoys working with a team of like-minded and passionate individuals ‘who are as equally committed as I am to developing potential new cures for cancer’.
Walid Azar
Dr Walid Azar is a senior postdoctoral research fellow who comes from a diverse scientific background encompassing both academic research and the fast-paced biotechnology industry. He brings with him extensive experience as well as a true passion for cancer research.
Walid obtained his PhD in cancer biology in 2013 at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute through the University of Melbourne. He pursued his postdoctoral fellowship at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre under the supervision of Professor David Bowtell, where he led a NHMRC-funded project investigating the role interleukin 6 (IL-6) in ovarian clear cell cancer. His research made significant contributions towards the understanding of IL-6 signalling in ovarian clear cell cancer and identified potential therapeutic agents to synergise in combination with IL-6 pathway inhibition. In 2016, Walid joined CSL R&D at the BIO21 institute as a molecular biologist. During his appointment, Walid was heavily involved in providing genome editing support to gene therapy projects, as well as overseeing the generation of transgenic animal models at CSL. Furthermore, he steered a new research project proposal through stage gate decisions to product development, with the possibility of clinical development.
As a Senior Research Fellow at Cartherics, Walid will have a key involvement in the in vivo studies and the autologous CAR-T cell streams. In addition, he holds a Deputy Laboratory Manager role where he works closely with the Senior Laboratory Manager to ensure the smooth and efficient operational management of the research group.
Vera Evtimov
Dr Vera Evtimov is a postdoctoral Research Fellow with Cartherics. After obtaining a Bachelor of Biotechnology (Hons) Vera obtained her PhD at Monash University in the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Her doctorate research focused on the characterisation of hyaluronan metabolism in breast cancer stem cells.
At Cartherics, Vera works in the autologous CAR-T products team where she has helped develop a robust method of CAR-T cell manufacture, as well as assays measuring cytotoxic capabilities and specificity of CAR-T cells. Currently, she explores ways to improve the function and persistence of CAR-T cells in solid tumour models, using organoid and xenograft focused approaches. Vera is passionate about improving the clinical outcomes of individuals diagnosed with debilitating diseases.
Nick Boyd
Dr Nick Boyd is a Biomaterials Engineer with a PhD and over 10 years experience specialising in tissue engineering, biological device R&D, regenerative medicine and nanotechnology. At Cartherics Nick focuses on generating an ‘off-the-shelf’ on-demand immunotherapy via stem cell sources.
With a deep background in immunology, stem cell differentiation and CAR-T cells, Nick helps drive the development and translation to the clinic of a novel natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. The work enables Nick to blend his passions for IP, entrepreneurship, business and laboratory research. Nick sees an exciting future for Cartherics and considers himself lucky to be part of the team investigating the impact their next-generation cellular therapies will have on patients suffering with ovarian cancer.
Frederico Calhabeu
Dr Frederico Calhabeu has over 12 years research experience in the fields of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, with a focus on the activation and self-renewal of adult stem cells in tissue injury and repair. Frederico was awarded his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Physiopathology at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris, France). He has held research positions at King’s College (London, England) as well as the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (Melbourne, Australia), where he gained extensive experience in primary cell culture, molecular biology and fluorescence microscopy. More recently, he took a particular interest in developing and helping translate innovative stem cell therapy projects to treat common muscle disorders.
In his role at Cartherics, Frederico is working on developing and bringing off-the-shelf NK cell therapies to cancer patients. Aside his passion for biomedical science, Frederico is passionate about football (the real one) and is a very much people person and always up for a chat.
Madeline Cao
Dr Madeline Cao received her MD in 2010 and practiced in Hematology at the Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital in Tianjin, China. She then moved to Australia to expand her research interests on hematopoiesis, receiving her PhD degree in 2014 from the University of Melbourne. Afterwards, Madeline joined CSIRO as a postdoctoral Research Fellow in Professor Susie Nilsson’s group, working on a project to better understand the hematopoietic stem cell and its niche in order to identify important adhesive molecules and their roles in stem cell regulation. She joined Cartherics in 2019 as a Research Fellow where she works with IPSC-CAR-T/NK products that have great potential to kill tumor cells.
After several years investigating normal and malignant hematopoietic stem cells, Madeline has developed strong expertise in stem cell biology and has a huge passion for utilising stem cells to develop innovative therapeutic strategies to help patients fight cancer.
Kellie Cartledge
Kellie Cartledge is a Senior Research Officer at Cartherics. She joined the team in 2016. After completing her BSc in Biochemistry at Latrobe University then Honours in Biochemistry at the Australian National University, she worked at the Ludwig Institute of Cancer Research in the Molecular Biology Laboratory. Kellie then completed her MSc in Biopharmaceuticals at the University of New South Wales whilst working at CSIRO firstly in Health Science and then later in the Manufacturing Division. She was drawn to biological research as it is always evolving.
At Cartherics Kellie uses her expertise in cell culture, stem cell biology, T-cell biology and molecular biology in a range of projects, including the iPSC to T-cell and NK-cell projects. She finds the work challenging and at the cutting edge of immunology. “What we do will help people and society,” she says.
Maree Hammett
Senior Research Officer Maree Hammett has been with Cartherics since it was established in 2016 and helped set up the laboratories. She brings over a decade of experience in the university and industry sectors, developed after completing a Masters degree in immunology with Professor Tony Schwarer at Monash University and the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the Alfred Hospital.
At Cartherics, Maree works primarily with the autologous CAR-T team, testing & growing the different CARs and the development of the Method of Manufacture for clinical trials. Drawn to cancer research because her grandfather experienced Chronic Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Maree seeks to boost the understanding of cancer detection, treatment and, hopefully, patient survival.
Vingo Zhuang
Vingo Zhuang has been a Research Officer at Cartherics since the company was established in 2016. He is originally from Shenzhen in Southern China. Vingo graduated in 2000 from the Sun Yat-sen University School of Medicine in Guangzhou. In 2002 he moved to Melbourne in order to pursue his Masters at Monash University. Prior to joining Cartherics, Vingo worked at Monash University with Professor Sharon Ricardo in kidney research.
At Cartherics, Vingo’s main role until recently was to build CAR-T constructions and generate CAR-T viruses to infect T cells and produce early-stage CAR-T cells. He now produces the cells using CRISPR-Cas9.
Mat Tiedemann
Mat Tiedemann is a Research Assistant with Cartherics’ induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) team. His work builds on expertise in gene editing and iPSC culture and differentiation he developed as an undergraduate Research Assistant in Professor Jose Polo’s laboratory at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute.
Currently, Mat is involved in a number of projects, including gene editing of iPSCs using Cartherics’ Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) construct, and the differentiation of resulting CAR-iPSCs throughout the hematopoietic lineage. The work is challenging because each cell line is unique, but Mat says the satisfaction gained by their successful differentiation into multiple, therapeutically relevant cell types is unparalleled.
Phil Arandjelovic
Phil Arandjelovic is a Research Assistant with Cartherics’ induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) team. Phil is in the final stages of completing his PhD at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (Melbourne, Australia) where he used a model of latent HIV infection to test the therapeutic potential of clinical compounds.
His work at Cartherics builds on expertise in immune cell biology and the application of in vivo models of disease in order to progress primarily the iNK and iT cell programs and also the autologous CAR-T cell stream.
Rasa Islam
Rasa Islam is a PhD student at Cartherics. After completing both her undergraduate studies in Biomedical Science and then Honours in Immunology through the University of Western Australia, she moved to Melbourne to pursue postgraduate studies with Cartherics. Rasa is originally from Dhaka in Bangladesh, but now calls Perth and Melbourne home.
Rasa is passionate about translational research such as adoptive immunotherapy because it can transform cancer patients’ life expectancy and quality, regardless of type or stage of the condition. Her PhD project focuses on how to make adoptive immunotherapy more effective and readily available to patients.
Saleh Almasabi
Saleh Almasabi is a PhD student in the laboratory of Professor Bryan Williams, Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University and Centre for Cancer Research Hudson Institute of Medical Research. After completing his Bachelor degree in Medical Laboratory Science at Najran University (Saudi Arabia), he worked as a demonstrator at the same university. Later, he completed his Masters degree in Laboratory Medicine at RMIT University in Melbourne.
Saleh is completing his PhD through the Cartherics CRC-P education program. While CAR-T cell immunotherapy has shown much promise in liquid tumors, there remains challenges for targeting solid tumours. Saleh’s project focuses on modulation of solid tumours such as colorectal cancer by targeting integrin-linked kinase (ILK). Saleh is investigating the role of ILK in cellular senescence and recruitment of immune cells such as natural killer (NK) cells. The results from this project may help improve efficacy of immunotherapies in solid tumours.
Van Thi To
Van Thi To completed her Bachelor of Science undergraduate studies at Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam before moving to Korea on full scholarship to complete a Masters of Science. Upon returning to Vietnam, she was appointed as a medical physicist at the Gene and Stem Cell Unit, Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Center of Bach Mai Hospital, as well as an assistant lecturer at the Medical Technology Faculty of Hanoi Medical University. Her research focused on cancer biology and immunotherapy to treat cancer.
With strong interest and enthusiasm for furthering her research in immunotherapy, she decided to pursue her PhD in this field, and was fortunate to receive an inaugural Vingroup Postgraduate Scholarship to undertake her PhD with Cartherics through Monash University.
Her PhD project is assessing the ability of CAR-Ts to eliminate cancer stem cells both in vitro and in vivo.
For Van, coming to Australia is not just for her academic career; she also wants to gain new life experiences, challenge herself and learn something new.
Rachelle Duffin
In 2015, Rachelle Duffin uprooted her life in remote central Victoria to pursue a career in medical research. She moved to Melbourne, where she went on to complete a Bachelor of Science at Monash University. Here, she discovered her passion for the immune system, translational science and research, and so, proceeded to undertake an Honours project, at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Following this, Rachelle worked as a Research Assistant for 6 months at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre before being awarded a full RTP stipend and Excellence scholarship from Monash University to undertake postgraduate studies.
Rachelle is now a PhD student at Cartherics, applying her background in onco-immunology to rejuvenate generic and cancer-specific T-cell immunity by inducing de novo T-cell production from iPSC-derived T-cell progenitors. The focus of her project is to contribute to making off-the-shelf adoptive immunotherapies for cancer patients a reality, something to which Rachelle is very passionate about