Annabel Short
Pirate Ship Research Fellow
BMedRes (hons), PhD
annabel.short@thekids.org.au
Dr Annabel Short’s research focus is identifying molecular mechanisms promoting vulnerabilities to chronic diseases of the brain. She completed her Bachelor of Medical Research at the University of Tasmania and joined the cancer genetics group at the Menzies Research Institute, Hobart, where she was working to understand how environmental changes to our DNA are associated with tumour development. She then completed her PhD in behavioural and molecular neuroscience at the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, Australia. On completion of her PhD, she was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Irvine where she was investigating how the postnatal environment can influence brain development and the underlying cell programming. Annabel joined the Brain Tumour Research team in 2022 and is using her training to help understand how cellular changes can influence tumorigenesis and the effects on the developing brain.
Find Dr Short on ORCID.
Projects
Finding new, safer and targeted therapies for paediatric brain cancer that amplify responses to radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is an essential component of brain cancer treatment. However, the high doses currently required are extremely damaging to the growing brains and bodies of children.
Developing and characterising juvenile models of aggressive paediatric brain cancers for the evaluation of novel immunotherapies.
While profound treatment responses have been realised using immunotherapy for some cancer types, this is yet to be seen for paediatric brain cancer patients.
Education and Qualifications
- 2016 - Postdoctoral training at the Univeristy of California, Irvine
- 2015 - Doctor of Philosophy: Modelling the effects of paternal lifestyle on the mental health of offspring (Conferred Dec 2015), University of Melbourne, Australia
- 2009 - Bachelor of Medical Research with first class Honours, University of Tasmania
- 2006 - 2008 - Undergraduate Bachelor of Medical Research, University of Tasmania
Awards/Honours
- 2022 - Pirate Ship Foundation Research Fellowship
- 2021 - OSSD travel award for a new member
- 2017 - ISDP Symposia Travel aware
- 2012 - Melbourne Abroad Travelling Scholarship
- 2012 - M.A Bartlett Research award
- 2012 - Students of Florey Institutes Prize
- 2011 - Australian Postgraduate Award
- 2009 - Menzies Research Institute Honours Scholarship
- 2009 - Cancer Council Honours Scholarship
- 2008 - Paula Wilson Memorial Prize for Neuroscience
Active Collaborations
- Tallie Z Baram – University of California, Irvine