DNA REPAIR ON THE FANCONI ANAEMIA PATHWAY
Associate Professor Wayne Crismani
Laboratory Head, DNA Repair & Recombination
St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research,
Melbourne, Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Melbourne, Australia | August 2025
Associate Professor Wayne Crismani is an internationally recognised expert in DNA repair, with a particular focus on Fanconi anaemia (FA)—a cancer-predisposition and bone marrow failure syndrome marked by extreme sensitivity to DNA damage. Based at St Vincent’s Institute in Melbourne, he leads a research program dedicated to understanding the genetic, cellular, and reproductive consequences of FA. He is currently supported by a Victorian Cancer Agency Mid-Career Fellowship and funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.
His career spans academia and industry across Australia, Europe, and the United States. He has contributed to several advances in FA genetics, including the identification of new functions of FA genes, particularly in reproduction, development of isogenic cell models, and use of high-throughput functional and screening assays. He has also demonstrated that FA is under-diagnosed in Australia, which has major consequences for these individuals and for the public healthcare system. His research has been published in top-tier journals and underpins several patents, including technologies that have been successfully licensed.
Associate Professor Crismani also leads multidisciplinary studies investigating fertility and cancer risk in individuals with FA. These include the first systematic study of biological parenthood and assisted reproductive technologies in adults with FA, and efforts to identify early biomarkers of oral cancer in this high-risk group. His work is conducted in close collaboration with scientists, clinicians, fertility specialists, and patient advocates. He co-founded Fanconi Anaemia Support Australasia with a group of families in 2019 and continues to organise scientific and social events for the FA community.
He works with international FA registries, research consortia, and the Fanconi Cancer Foundation to ensure research findings inform real-world care. His program bridges molecular biology, reproductive health, and translational science, with the goal of improving health outcomes for people with FA and genetic conditions.
Source: Supplied
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CASE STUDY Large scale genetic study finds link between Irritable Bowel Syndrome & cardiovascular system
Research published April 2024 in the journal Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology sheds light on disease mechanisms common to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
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Funding the best brains to beat brain cancer
The Charlie Teo Foundation is dedicated to funding and advancing research into brain cancer, with a particular focus on developing more effective treatments and finding a cure for this devastating disease.
Since its inception, the foundation has committed nearly $15 million to brain cancer research, funding notable projects in Australia and the United States. These projects explore innovative approaches to understand and treat brain cancer more effectively, with a focus on translating findings from animal studies to human applications. Charlie’s dedication to finding solutions for this devastating disease remains unwavering as he travels frequently to collaborate with global researchers. -
Peripheral intravenous catheter management
Dr Grace Xu is a clinician-researcher, senior nurse practitioner, and emerging implementation scientist with more than 16 years of emergency nursing experience. She is a Fellow of the College of Emergency Nurses Australasia and a Centaur Fellow. She also leads the Early Career Researcher/Clinician Researcher portfolio within the Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research group.
