Dr Rhiannon Werder is a Team Leader at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, utilising stem cell models of the lung to transform the discovery of new therapies for respiratory disease. She received a PhD from the University of Queensland in 2017. Dr Werder was awarded a NHMRC CJ Martin Early Career Fellowship to undertake postdoctoral work at a world-leading stem cell institute (Center for Regenerative Medicine, Boston University). Dr Werder now leads a multidisciplinary team at MCRI, combining expertise in stem cell biology and immunology, to develop new therapies for respiratory infections and chronic lung diseases.

Associate Professor Anthony Kicic currently heads Airway Epithelial Research at the Telethon Kids Institute. His research program focuses on the role of the epithelial cells that line the airway in a number of diseases settings including childhood asthma, cystic fibrosis and lung transplant rejection. Using a primary cell model of the airway in the laboratory, he and his team have been able to investigate how viral pathogens establish in the lung in these disease settings and in normal health and have investigated their associated host cellular defenses.

Thomas Iosifidis is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre and Telethon Kids Institute focusing on novel therapeutic avenues for respiratory diseases such as wheezing illnesses and asthma. His research interests revolve around understanding the mechanisms involved in tissue injury and repair in health and disease, and the development of therapeutics to enhance mucosal healing.

Dr Alen Faiz is a molecular pharmacologist and cellular biologist with expertise in bioinformatics and genetic editing. His research aims to understand the biology of respiratory systems at the genetic and epigenetic levels, including under conditions of exposure to cigarette smoke and current medications (i.e. corticosteroids). Dr Faiz’s multidisciplinary skills in high-level integrative bioinformatics and advanced cell culture ensure his research program can identify associations and then elucidate causal pathways and mechanisms, ultimately impacting to help the development of improved therapies.

Dr Rhiannon Werder is a Team Leader at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, utilising stem cell models of the lung to transform the discovery of new therapies for respiratory disease. She received a PhD from the University of Queensland in 2017. Dr Werder was awarded a NHMRC CJ Martin Early Career Fellowship to undertake postdoctoral work at a world-leading stem cell institute (Center for Regenerative Medicine, Boston University). Dr Werder now leads a multidisciplinary team at MCRI, combining expertise in stem cell biology and immunology, to develop new therapies for respiratory infections and chronic lung diseases.