Alexandra O’Donohue

Dr

BMedSci(Hons)/PhD

alexandra.odonohue@wimr.org.au

Centre for Diabetes, Obesity and Endocrinology Research

Bioengineering & Molecular Medicine Group

Currently open to PHD and Honours students in the topic areas of:

Gene Therapy for Musculoskeletal Diseases

Gene Therapy for Neurofibromatosis Type 1/2.

Alexandra O’Donohue

Biography

Dr Alexandra O’Donohue is a Postdoctoral Scientist in the Bioengineering & Molecular Medicine laboratory. She received a BMedSci(Hons) in molecular biology and genetics in 2018 and then went on to complete a PhD in 2023 (University of Sydney).

She has cultivated a keen interest in gene therapy throughout her postgraduate studies, developing an expertise in the design, generation, and screening of tissue-specific adeno-associated vectors for distinct musculoskeletal tissues. She continues to pursue gene therapy in her postdoctoral fellowship with the goal of preventing tumor formation in individuals born with the cancer predisposition syndrome, Neurofibromatosis type 1/2.

Research interests

Genetic Disorders, Adeno Associated Viral Vectors, CRISPR Gene Editing, Neurofibromatosis type 1, NF2-associated Schwannomatosis, Musculoskeletal Diseases

Adjunct roles

Postdoctoral Research Scientist (School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) The University of Sydney
Research Officer Sydney Children’s Hospital Network

Recent publications

Curative Cell and Gene Therapy for Osteogenesis Imperfecta. J Bone Miner Res. 2022, 37(5):826-836.

Targeted postnatal knockout of Sclerostin using a bone-targeted adeno-associated viral vector increases bone anabolism and decreases canalicular density. Bone. 2023, 167:116636.

Modelling anabolic and antiresorptive therapies for fracture healing in a mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta. J Orthop Res. 2022, 1-7.

Combination treatment with growth hormone and zoledronic acid in a mouse model of Osteogenesis imperfecta. Bone. 2022. 159:116378.

Dietary intervention rescues a bone porosity phenotype in a murine model of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). PLOS ONE. 2024 19(6): e0304778.

Current grants

Affiliations

Sydney Children’s Hospital Networks (SCHN), University of Sydney

Professional Associations and Organisations

2024-Present The Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society Committee Member
2023-Present The Westmead Research Hub Early and Mid-Career Committee Chair

Awards and recognition

2022 Panos Ioannou Young Investigator Award, Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society