Dr Emma Parkinson-Lawrence

During my years as an undergraduate and post graduate student I developed an interest and passion for two areas of health and medical research; protein structure and function and disease pathogenesis. I have been fortunate to be able to link these two research areas and am focussed on studying the pathogenesis of disease in a group of genetic diseases called Lysosomal Storage Disorders. Lysosomal storage disorders are a group of over 50 different devastating genetic diseases, caused by having an inactive or deficient protein of a series of proteins that normally break down waste products within a cell. As a result, waste products accumulate, becoming toxic to the cell, leading to the onset of devastating disease predominantly in children. Approximately two-thirds of lysosomal storage disorder patients suffer from brain disease and at present there is no effective treatment. Despite presenting as a major clinical problem, the molecular basis of this brain disease is poorly understood and herein lies the major focus of my research.

The Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR),Autralian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB),ASBMB Adelaide Protein Group

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy The University of Adelaide

• Bachelor of Science (Honours) The University of Adelaide

• Bachelor of Science The University of Adelaide