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). 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.

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 collected a ton of data on modified RNAs working only part-time in between coursework. Will be picking up the baton from Tom for Hons. Broke several undergrad records including top quiz marks in Sandro’s course. An awesome volleyball player too.

Hons (2024) and SydneyNano summer scholar (2023-24). Co-supervised by David (Physics). An equally good physicist as a biochemist and is cracking how hydrophobins control assembly into coatings. It will be wise to consider she has a Lord of the Rings sword in her room before even thinking about stealing any buffers or pipette tips!

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.

Casual lab 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 but in too much demand to drop teaching duties.. Hopefully can be convinced to help more with more lab projects in due course.

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.

Volunteer (2024-), research assistant (2023-2024), volunteer (2022) and Hons student (2021) . Now a Grad Medicine student at UTas so no longer a RA but still involved in the multi-omics mission to understanding how prostate cancer and healthy cells respond to radiotherapy vs new plasma treatment in a collaboration with the Chris O’brien Lifehouse. Attended World Youth Day and also a K pop fan.

Now works as a data science analyst. 3rd year Dalyell project student working with Lou and Ann on the multi-omics and mutli-team mission to understand how prostate cancer and healthy cells respond to novel treatments. Has risen to the challenge of becoming independent quickly given Lou’s last-minute medicine offer. Despite only a few weeks into semester, have already done some successful RNA extractions and ran an RNA gel.

Denison summer scholar (2024). A UTS pre-med student undertaking summer research at both UNSW and USyd in one summer! Teaming up with Maddy to optimise a new fluorescence technique to detect protein and potential drug interactions. Loves the Filipino dessert halo-halo.

Structural biology Lab Manager for 14 years and Sydney Analytical Senior Technical Officer (i.e., the person who really runs the Lv 6 labs). Have moved onto a full time position with Gelion, a start-up. Makes the best potato salad.

It is with great sadness to announce the passing of Bill. He was Ann’s mentor and an Honorary Research Associate from 2010-2024. “Retired” in 2009 but helped Ann and her group so much throughout the years in between traveling the world. Bill, I can’t thank you enough for what you did for the NMRs, me and my group.

Hons student (2023) and Volunteer (2022) co-supervised by Sandro. Master at Dungeons and Dragons and equally brave and ambitious in the research world. Has done so well working on a new technology in Hons that he is now working in Toby’s new start-up following on his Hons project.

DSP student (2023) co-supervised by Jessica and Sandro. Working on a class of RNA mimics called PNAs to scout out their suitability for development as biotech tools and future therapeutics. A quiet achiever with a magic whisper that seems to coax PNAs to stay in solution better than anyone else in the lab.

Now Dr Phonok! PhD student (2019-2023) co-supervised by Jinlong (Westmead Dental School). Is a dentist and lecturer in Thailand but has found a calling in dental research and picked up the baton from Anthony working on novel ways to target P. gingavalis proteins to control chronic periodontal disease.

Hons student (2022) co-supervised by Luciano. After a summer project on cattle grazing behaviour, has followed Ellie’s footsteps to hunt down unknown biomarkers that can detect respiratory diseases in cattle. Have super human discipline and once fasted for 7 days except for water!

Volunteer (2021-2) and summer scholarship student (2021). A very fast learner and has already picked up many tricks of the stats trade from Kelvin and is also now handling NMR data analysis with ease! Nabbed by NMI for Year-in-Industry program in 2021-2 while working to develop better protocols for NMR metabolomics on the side.

Volunteer (2022), DSP Student (2020) and Hons student (2021) co-supervised by Sandro. Lives life on the fast lane. Had great success with making Avi-tagged FtsY during DSP and now onto RaPID screens with Toby to find new peptide antibiotics.

Volunteer and summer scholarship student (2021) co-supervised by Sandro with ambitious goals. Came well trained after a year in industry and two DSP project units. Working on developing antibiotic lead molecules. Also an amazing flautist and former SUSO (USyd Symphony Orchestra) president. Regrets not expelling Ann from orchestra.

Summer scholarship student (2022) co-supervised by Sandro with strong interest in translational research and very keen to maximise lab experience. Working on improving the purification protocol of our antibiotic target and progressing the latest round of antibiotic leads. VP of USYD Combined Medicine Association.

2022 summer scholarship student who is diving deep into the world of metabolomics, biochemical pathways and statistical analyses. In her spare time, loves listening to true crime podcasts, watching TV shows and hanging out with friends.

2022 summer scholarship student co-supervised by Sandro keen to delve further into scientific research. Has picked up how to solve crystal structures very quickly. Will be starting her MD and in a race against time to finish the gazillion structures Sandro has planned. Other interests include basketball/netball and true crime shows.

2022 summer scholarship student and currently enrolled in UNSW MD after completing Year 1 at USyd. Currently investigating how flexible regions in hydrophobins may act a control switch for assembly. Has the full set of Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards that most of us can only dream of. Also a cellist.

2021 summer scholarship student residing in Brazil who plans to study medicine. Leading a group of BIOL1997 students to transform their COVID assignment from Sem 2 into informative and eye-catching inforgraphics posters for the digital poster boards around the Molecular Bioscience building.

Former DSP (talented student program) project and now pseudo summer scholarship student who majors in Math and Stats. Expert in R and statistical analysis and is working with Betsy on metabolomics data analysis as well as training Jackie as his apprentice.

2014-5. Visiting student from Pharmacy

2016-7. Undergraduate TSP student

2021 summer scholarship student keen on analytical techniques so has been offered a co-supervised project with Min on a light-harvesting protein-pigment complex with unusual properties. Likes to ask Qs as one would expect from a good detective trying to hunt down the wanted Cys.

2021 summer scholarship student teaming up with David to make modified hydrophobins that are biocompatible for coating 3D-printed medical implants.

Honours Student (2020) co-supervised by Sandro with an interest in developing antibiotic leads. He is picking up quickly on the FtsY and SRP as well as FBDD.

Former Honours student (2018) and internship student (2019-). The pioneer of metabolomics in Ann’s group. Matlab whiz. Back for an internship but working remotely in China until she finds out what her next calling is.

Former Summer Scholarship (2015), Honours student (2016) and DMS project student (2018-9). Co-supervised by Jinlong.

Undergraduate student volunteer (2019)

Undergraduate student volunteer (since 2018) and former Summer Scholarship student (2019)

2019. 3rd year Talent Student Program and Summer Scholarship student

Summer Research Scholarship Student (2020)

2014. Internship student

2007 Summer student with Ann. 2008-12. Co-supervised Hons and PhD student with Margie and Ann

2008. Co-supervised BSc Hons student with Margie and Ann

2014-2015 TSP student

2007-8. Co-supervised BSc Hons student and research assistant with Margie and Ann

2009-13. Co-supervised Masters/PhD student with Margie and Ann

2016. Internship student from France

2009-10. Internship student from France with Ann and Margie

2015. Internship student from INSA in France

2016. Summer scholarship student

2013-4. Co-supervised BSc Hons student and research assistant with Ann and Margie

2007-8 and 2012-7. Research assistant

2014-5. Visiting student from Pharmacy

2015 Summer and TSP student

2015. Exchange student from the University of Edinburgh

2016-8. Visiting student from La Trobe University

2016-7. BSc Summer scholarship, Hons student and volunteer

2018. Summer scholarship student

2017. Collaborator and visiting research fellow from Cambridge