RESEARCHER PROFILE
Assoc Professor Cedric Bardy, SAHMRI (2023)
Director of The Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology, Genetics & Stem Cells
South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) &
Professor, Flinders University
Adelaide, South Australia
Filmed November 2023
Associate Professor Cedric Bardy is the Director of The Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology, Genetics & Stem Cells, located at SAHMRI. South Australia.
His current research uses preclinical, patient-derived cell models to test innovative therapeutic strategies, with a current focus on Parkinson’s disease, brain cancer and childhood dementia (Sanfilippo syndrome).
His work has established a platform to facilitate the discovery and validation of treatments for brain disorders. Their research is at the frontier of human cellular neuroscience research and translational applications that benefit global public health.
In particular, Cedric is the inventor of BrainPhys; a neuronal medium broadly used to culture human neurons in vitro, commercialised by STEMCELL Technologies.
The ability to grow human brain cells in a petri dish opens up new possibilities for research and discovery in neuroscience.
The BrainPhys medium allows human brain cells to function as they would in the adult human brain, revolutionizing research in labs across the world.
Cedric Bardy’s research enables researchers to study human brain disorders in a more physiological context, potentially leading to new treatments for brain cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Sanfilippo Syndrome.
Cedric Bardy’s international journey from France to Canada to Australia and then to the United States showcases the global nature of scientific research and collaboration.
The passion for neuroscience stems from the fact that everything we care about as humans is influenced by brain activity.
Cedric Bardy is passionate about finding ways to treat the brain when things go wrong, showing a deep commitment to neurological research.
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Systems genetics to determine risk of developing diabetes complications
Dr Mara Zeissig is a recently appointed Lab Head within the Tumour Inflammation and Immunotherapy Program at the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI).
Her research focuses on studying immune evasion mechanisms in lung and pancreatic cancers to identify novel ways to increase response to immunotherapy. Her expertise is in genetically engineered mouse models of lung cancer, CRISPR-Cas9 screening technologies and T cell based immunotherapies (e.g Checkpoint inhibitors). -
CASE STUDY Link between levels of extracellular vesicles in the blood and tissue damage caused by diseases
A landmark study led by WEHI and La Trobe University has found a potential new diagnostic marker that could be used to better detect the level of tissue damage in our bodies.
This study revealed, for the first time, a link between levels of EVs in the blood and tissue damage caused by diseases such as leukaemia.
Researchers hope to leverage the critical new insight to develop a blood test to monitor cancer patients with tissue damage, which could, in future, enhance treatment strategies for blood cancers and other diseases.
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Iodine in pregnancy on baby brain and nervous system development
Dr Karen Best is Senior Research Fellow in the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Women and Kids Theme. She is a Registered Midwife with a unique breadth of experience in clinical project management, academic skills and knowledge translation and is committed to better understanding the essential role that modifiable exposures in pregnancy play in setting the foundations for a healthy start to life.
