Leesa commenced her PhD in the Jenkins Laboratory at WEHI in 2022 and was the recipient of The Frank Montague Scholarship in 2022.
She is thrilled to continue working with another of our research rockstars Associate Professor Misty Jenkins AO.
Leesa tells us more about her immunotherapy research and her hopes that breakthroughs in this area will dramatically improve treatments and outcomes for brain cancer patients.
Where did you study prior to commencing your PhD?
I completed a Bachelor of Advanced Science in Microbiology and Biotechnology at UNSW in Sydney. I also did my honours year at the same university with Professor Merlin Crossley and Associate Professor Kate Quinlan, studying gene expression control in sickle cell disease. Following this, I worked for 2 years in industry as a research assistant working on developing antibody therapeutics.
What drew you to work on brain cancer?
The fact that brain cancer patients are faced with such poor survival prospects and limited treatment options in today’s age of advanced technology was extremely shocking to me. It is a complicated and challenging disease to tackle, but I figured that the more minds working on this problem, the faster we’ll be able to collectively find a solution.
Since my undergraduate years, I’ve had a fascination with immunotherapies and how successful they have been in treating cancers such as melanoma and blood cancers. These cancers went from being deadly diseases to being treatable and survivable. Given that some immunotherapies, such as CAR T cell therapies, can enter into the brain, they have the potential of having significant success in treating brain cancer too.
What’s your biggest achievement so far?
Doing this PhD! It was a dream of mine to come work at WEHI as it’s known for being a phenomenal place for biomedical research and having a collaborative and community spirit. I decided to leave my ‘comfort zone’ of a stable job, my family and friends back in Sydney to pursue this dream. I’ve been very supported throughout which I’m grateful for, but every now and then I have a ‘pinch-me’ moment when I remember how far I’ve come.
Can you describe your research?
My research aims to understand how our immune system can distinguish between a brain tumour and a healthy tissue. We do this by analysing patient samples that are generously donated to research. By understanding what these tumours look like, I can design new targeted therapies that are able to specifically kill cancer cells without harming the healthy tissue. I can assess these new therapies by measuring how effective they are at killing brain cancer cells in different experimental models.
What’s your hope for your research?
That my work can make some difference to the brain cancer field and patients – even if it’s a small contribution, every step is worth it.
What are your hobbies?
Since moving to Melbourne I’ve loved soaking in the food and art scene. There’s always new cafes and bars popping up, so it’s been fun being a bit touristy and exploring a new city. After working in the lab, I like to add a bit of movement to my day so I enjoy taking exercise or dance classes.
Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
If you don’t ask, you’ll never know. This is something my mum used to say to me when I was younger. She’s always been a confident person in my eyes and as I get older I’m starting to appreciate this advice more. I’m learning to take this philosophy on in my life and be bold in trying new things, even if they seem daunting at first!
