Ms Wei Li, Associate Lecturer (Basic Sciences)

Associate Lecturer
Medicine, Nepean Clinical School
T: +61 2 4734 1625
lee.li@sydney.edu.au

Profile: Wei Li is a bone biologist with training in microbiology, biochemistry and business administration management. She completed her MSc degree, South China Agricultural University; Licentiate of Philosophy, University of Umea, Sweden; and MBA, Concordia University, Canada.

After working in McGill University, Canada, for over 10 years, she has joined Ageing Bone Research Program since October 2008 and has been appointed as an Associate Lecturer at Sydney Medical School - Nepean.

The focus of her research is primarily concerned with understanding the mechanism of bone development and ageing. Her research “platform” lies in the broad field of bone phenotyping, including Micro computed tomography, Facsitron X-ray and Piximus Bone Mineral Density and histomorphometry analysis on various mouse models and human diseases.

Publications

Dr Christopher Vidal, Post-doctoral Fellow

Post Doctoral Fellow
Nepean Clinical School
T: +61 2 4734 1614
chris.vidal@sydney.edu.au

Profile: Dr Christopher Vidal joined the Aging Bone Research Program with Associate Professor Gustavo Duque as a Postdoctoral Research Officer in January 2010. He was educated at the University of Malta where he received BSc in Medical Laboratory Science and PhD in Pathology (Molecular Genetics), with thesis entitled “The Genetics of Osteoporosis”, in 2001 and 2007 respectively. Before moving to Australia, he was employed as a Postdoctoral Scientist with the University of Malta studying the genetics of osteoporosis and celiac disease. He also has over fifteen years of experience working in clinical laboratories.

As a Postdoctoral Research Officer at Nepean Clinical School, he forms part of the basic science team studying mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into osteoblasts and adipocytes. The aim of his research is to understand the molecular mechanisms of differentiation and how this changes with age, resulting in decreased osteoblastogenesis and increased adipogenesis. This shift results in a decreased bone formation leading to fragile bones and increased risk for fractures, as seen in osteoporosis. Findings from these studies will add to our understanding of the complex bone physiology, thus leading to the development of novel and improved therapeutic approaches and diagnostic tools.

Publications

Mrs. Krishanthi Gunaratnam, Research Assistant / PhD Student

Research Assistant / PhD Student
Nepean Clinical School
T: +61 2 4734 2599
krishanthi.gunaratnam@sydney.edu.au

Profile: Krishanthi Gunaratnam has been with the Ageing Bone Research Program studying lipoapoptosis and the lipotoxic effects of bone marrow fat cells on bone cells. Krishanthi completed her Honours degree in 2001 and worked as research assistant in different institutions in Australia. Currently Krishanthi is reading for a PhD studying the lipotoxicity in bone.
The significance of this study is to understand the mechanisms of lipotoxicity in bone caused by overload of lipid produced within the bone marrow by adipocytes, thus facilitating the identification of treatments to prevent this lipotoxic effect on osteoblasts hence increasing bone mass.
Recently Krishanthi won a prestigious medal for the Best Emerging Researcher for an oral presentation entitled “Identification of the mechanisms of lipoapoptosis in normal human osteoblasts" at Annual Nepean Scientific Day 2011.

Ms Sandra Bermeo Serranto, PhD Student

Nepean Clinical School
sandra.bermeo@sydney.edu.au

Profile: Sandra Bermeo received her Medical Scientist Bachelor degree in 2000 and later her MSc degree in Human Genetics, in Colombia. She worked as an Associate Professor in Basic Sciences at the Ciencias Ambientales y Aplicadas UDCA, Manuela Beltran and Surcolombiana Universities in Colombia. Her previous research was focused on the molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases, genetic disorders such as Haemophilia, Myotonic Dystrophy, Huntington Disease, and the molecular characterization of the HLA system for transplant purposes.
At the Nepean Clinical School, as part of the Ageing Bone Research Program, she is reading for a PhD studying the role of the nuclear membrane proteins in osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation in bone aiming to target these proteins to treat age related bone loss.