“I enjoy applying my skills to problems I have not encountered previously, so working with innovation is perfect for me. I started out in research but moved into the patent profession. I like being a part of the process of improving people’s lives.”

I AM: a believer that you can achieve anything if you really want to.

Title: Patent and Trade Marks Attorney

Qualifications: Bachelor of Science (Honours), Ph.D

I have a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology relating to vaccine development. My work interests relate generally to the field of biotechnology, particularly to bacteria-based technologies. My PhD thesis investigated the use of genetically engineered bacteria as vaccines, and the potential for pre-existing immunity to the bacterial vector to reduce the efficacy of the vaccine. During my studies, I gained a diverse range of technical experience, particularly in the areas of molecular biology and vaccinology.

I worked as a Research Fellow at the Center for Vaccine Development (CVD), University of Maryland, Baltimore USA. The CVD has earned an international reputation for creating and testing vaccines against cholera, typhoid, malaria and other infectious diseases, including smallpox the West Nile virus and avian flu.

Back in Australia, I worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne contributing to research into a vaccine against Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is the largest global cause of morbidity in Children under the age of 5. I joined Watermark in 2007.