Group leader. Apart from science, her other passions are elephants and cello. Loves eating and can eat an unlimited amount of steamed rice and hot chips. Never goes anywhere without her trusted companion pet Nellie (as per photo), who is also the Kwan lab and BIOL1997 class pet/mascot.

Group leader and honorary lab affiliate. Crystallography and RNA expert. Co-supervises with Ann on the growing project on targeting RNA-binding proteins for new antimicrobials. Brazilian BBQ king who beats the best Brazilian restaurants in Sydney except would not agree to BBQ pineapple.

Structural biology Lab Manager (i.e., the person who really runs the SB labs). Ann’s first co-supervised PhD student with Margie from all those years ago! Have a wealth of life, lab and project experience including living in Japan. When not in lab manager mode, works as a part-time senior postdoc with Joel and a super mum to two kids. Supreme at multitasking and is amazing at hosting functions and board game parties.

Sydney Analytical Drug Discovery Node Facility Manager and honorary lab affiliate. When not stuck in meetings or doing admin things, she is a FBDD and SPR queen. Apart from good science, has won many knitting awards including from The Royal Easter Show and the Canberra Show. Loves cats and penguins.

PhD student (2023-), Hons (2022) and volunteer (2021). Co-supervised by Sandro with a keen interest on developing antibiotic leads. Currently working on developing small- and medium-sized inhibitors against two bacterial target proteins. Has already won two prizes on her project!

PhD student (2023-) and Hons (2022) hibernating for a year from lab work to do Graduate Medicine Year 1. Co-supervised by David and Jeremy and team at the Chris O’brien Lifehouse. Into all things French. Loves life on the fast lane and cloning and microscopy. Currently working to engineer hydrohobins for biocompatible and antibacterial coating for bone implants.

PhD student (2024-) via MSc at Cairo University and co-supervised by Sandro. Computational structural biologist in training with a keen interest in developing antimicrobial leads via docking and simulation approaches. Currently working on developing a pipeline for triaging and classifying RNA-binding proteins, their binding modes and ligands, as well as simulations and modeling of various protein/DNA/RNA complexes.

PhD student (2024-) and volunteer (2023). Co-supervised by A/Prof Jinlong Gao (Westmead Dental School) with a keen interest on fighting chronic periodontal disease. Discovered that she has a passion for research and decided to embark on a PhD after Hons in UNSW and two other science jobs. An amazing baker and makes the best biscotti biscuits.

Research assistant (2025), Hons (2024), SydneyNano winter and Denison summer scholarship (2022-23) and DSP project student (2022) co-supervised by Sandro. Very fast learner and has already been part of 3 projects. Broke several undergrad records including top quiz marks in Sandro’s course and top Hons mark in molecules, cells and organism stream. An awesome volleyball player too.

Hons (Sem 2 2024-), Volunteer (2024-) and pre-Hons student via a Denison summer scholarship in Connie’s lab in Chemistry. Has done the most number of building inductions and has access to most number of buildings out of all lab members. Interested in fighting genetic and infectious diseases by engineering delivery tags to bring novel molecules into cells.

Hons (2025–). Working with Team Hydrophobin to enhance functionalities of hydrophobin coating. Passionate for protein engineering and pharmacological innovations. From agriculture, R&D baker to fermentation/distilling enthusiast, when he's not cooking up in the lab, he's experimenting in the kitchen. Looking forward to a yummy year at lab gatherings. Deserves a bravery award - unfazed by starting Hons in our temporary labs.

Casual research assistant (2024-) who has picked up the baton from Lou and Juliet on developing oxidative stress therapy in combination with radiotherapy in collaboration with David’s group from Physics. Master teacher and demonstrator who has taught the most number of BCMB/BIOL/MICR courses. Borrowed from the teaching team. In high demand and love teaching too much to drop teaching duties while having too much fun with the spheroids to give up research. Very busy!

Part-time RA (2025), Hons (2024) and SydneyNano summer scholar (2023-24). Now doing full-time Master of Teaching but also teaching new lab members about hydrophobins as a sidekick. An equally good physicist as a biochemist and is cracking how hydrophobins control assembly into coatings using simulations. It will be wise to consider she has a Lord of the Rings sword in her room before getting on the wrong side!

SydneyNano summer scholar (2024-2025) and volunteer/RA (2025). Moved from the intriguing world of C. elegans and single molecule imaging to join Team Hydrophobins to investigate their assembly as surface coatings. Currently taking full advantage of her dual passports to enjoy the lovely beaches and eventually become an analytical technique wizard. Keen on conquering the NMR and HPLC including finding out what makes her favourite flat white.

Casual lab assistant (2022-) and Hons student (2021). Now a 2nd Year medical student but still continuing on her quest to improve detection of respiratory diseases in cattle using biomarkers. Very skilled at handling animals plus animal samples (noting humans are animals so expecting an excellent doctor in the making). Has awesome pets including a horse!

Casual lab assistant (2022-) for the KickStart Year 12 outreach program. Can make tons of pink fluorescent protein even in his sleep. Former Denison Summer Scholarship and DSP student (2020). Currently in the last year of his postgraduate medical degree. Loves lab work and medical science when not buried under preparing for medical exams.

Honorary lab affiliate (2024-). Internship student (2016-7) and research assistant (2017-23). Was so good that he was recruited by another group leader with a big promotion. Multi-talented from being protein tamer, scheduler and lab webmaster to 3D-printing expert, secret painter and violinist. Obviously insanely busy and productive. Pro expert host of Dungeons and Dragons - check out the D&D photos!

Volunteer (2023-), volunteer and Summer Scholarship student (2019). Trained in both science and business! While having worked FT in the corporate world since graduating from uni, still has a keen interest in hydrophobins and is currently designing new hydropohobin variants for different applications.