Managing Executive
The AGTA Managing Executive comprises 15 members, including 7 office bearers and 8 ordinary members. Office bearer positions according to AGTA’s Constitution are: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Website/Communication Officer.
The committee is made up of senior scientists with significant expertise in their specific subdiscipline of genomics, genomic technologies or genomic data analysis who meet on a regular basis to discuss strategic and operational matters required for the day-to-day management and sustainability of the Association. The committee may, with a majority vote, co-opt up to three additional members for a term of up to 1 year without election, for specialised functions or purposes as may serve the needs of the Association (e.g.) conference co-convenor(s) and an industry officer
Mark Cowley
President
A/Prof Mark Cowley is Deputy Director (Enabling Platforms and Collaboration) at the Children’s Cancer Institute. His research program develops computational tools for precision medicine, mostly focussed on the … rapid, accurate analysis of whole genome, transcriptome and methylome data. He has made major advances, demonstrating unprecedentedly high rates of diagnosis of patients with genetic diseases and cancer. Mark plays a key role in the Zero Childhood Cancer Program, Australia’s leading precision medicine program for all children and young people with cancer.
Nic Waddell
Vice President
Dr Nic Waddell is currently the Medical Genomics Group Leader at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, the Cancer Program coordinator, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow. … Nic was awarded her PhD in 2003 from the University of Leicester. She undertook post docs at QIMR Berghofer and UQ before establishing her research group at QIMR Berghofer. Her program of research uses bioinformatic and genomic approaches to address clinical challenges in cancer. She collaborates extensively with researchers and clinicians, and is part of Australian Genomics and Queensland Genomics.
Sandra Fitzgerald
Treasurer
Sandra is a Research Fellow at the University of Auckland, and her research focuses on developing highly sensitive technologies for the detection of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in the blood of cancer patients. She …collaborates extensively with researchers and oncologists from all over New Zealand to drive the translation of minimally invasive liquid biopsy technologies into clinical implementation.
Mark Van Der Hoek
Vice Treasurer
Mark is currently employed at Flinders University in the College of Medicine and Public Health. After graduating from the University of Adelaide in Chemistry, he was initially employed in the private sector before moving to … the Hanson Centre for Cancer Research in the mid 90’s. Following this he worked for a number of local biotechnology companies before moving back to SA Pathology in 2001 to help establish Adelaide’s first genomics facility, the Adelaide Microarray Centre, and later helped manage the ACRF Cancer Genomics Facility. In 2014 he established and managed the SAHMRI Genomics Facility which became the foundation of the South Australian Genomics Centre (SAGC) in 2020.
Katherine Pillman
Secretariat
Dr. Katherine Pillman leads the Gene Regulation Bioinformatics Group at the Centre for Cancer Biology in South Australia. Her team takes a computational biology approach to understanding gene regulation and …transcriptomics in cancer, with a special emphasis on the children’s cancer neuroblastoma, as well as other epithelial cancers. She is a current Col Reynolds Fellows for The Kids Cancer Project and Mavis Robertson Fellow for NBCF.
Ruby Lin
Immediate past Vice President
Ruby Lin is an accomplished executive leader with over 25 years of experience in life sciences, biotechnology, and translational research. She has secured over AUD$17 million in funding, focusing on genomic medicine’s translation… clinical practice. A passionate advocate for women in STEMM, Ruby mentors students and scientists, and contributes to various initiatives, including serving as the Genomic Chair for Westmead Research Precinct, holds executive roles in the Australasian Genomic Technologies Association and an independent school in NSW. Her expertise encompasses genomics, cardiovascular disease, cancer biology, and infectious diseases with more than 120 high-impact publications. Ruby actively engages in community service, including mentoring and pro bono career coaching, while also serving on several scientific journal editorial boards.
Kirby Siemering
Secretary
Kirby is an experienced life sciences senior executive and director with a career spanning roles in ASX-listed, private, and not-for-profit biotechnology companies, academia, and government policy development. Kirby was most…recently Chief Executive Officer at Australian Genome Research Facility, Australia’s largest genomics services organisation. He is currently Managing Director of Double Helix Investments, a small private fund specialising in precision medicine and life sciences and principal at life sciences consultancy Simpatico Life Sciences.
Liz Christie
Co-convenor, AGTA 2024
Dr Liz Christie is a Group Leader in the Cancer Evolution and Metastasis Program at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne. Her lab uses multi-omics approaches to understand disease recurrence and treatment resistance …in ovarian and endometrial cancer.
Helena Mangs
Organising Committee AGTA-2024, Director
Dr. Helena Mangs is the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics at UNSW Sydney. This core facility provides high-throughput genomic services …both within Australia and globally. Before her current position, she oversaw transcriptomics workflows and teams as a Service Manager at the Centre (2011-2021). Between 2008 and 2011, she was an NHMRC Early Career Research Fellow, conducting research on prostate cancer at the University of Sydney. She has extensive experience in genomics and is passionate about facilitating access to genomic technologies and educating the next generation of researchers.
Sam Buckberry
Lead, AGTA Scholarship
Sam is a biologist who works at the intersection of epigenetics, genomics, bioinformatics, medical research and public health. Sam currently leads the Epigenetics program in Indigenous Genomics at the Telethon Kids … Institute where the research is focused on using genomics technologies and cutting-edge data analytics to advance chronic disease prediction, prevention, and treatment. Sam also works on innovating ways to implement best practices in indigenous data sovereignty, privacy and security into state-of-the-art data systems for public and precision health.
Sam is impact-focused and enjoys developing bespoke analysis frameworks for complex biological questions. Sam has broad experience in molecular and cell biology, genomics, computer programming, high-performance computing, data visualisation and scientific project leadership.
Cath Moore
Sales & Marketing, Genome Technologies
Dr Cath Moore is the CSO at AGRF leading the Science and Technology team, responsible for research partnerships and collaborations, and the Innovation and Development program. …Cath holds a PhD in molecular genetics and is passionate about how genomic technologies can be used to advance the goals of researchers, clinicans and industry. She joined AGRF in 2020 from QIAGEN where she led the ANZ genomics market development team tasked with engaging the research community to understand emerging needs, provide technical expertise and drive new partnerships.
Anna Pilbrow
Director
Anna completed her PhD at the University of Otago, Christchurch in 2006 and undertook postdoctoral training at the Salk Institute, La Jolla, California from 2008 to 2010. Since returning to New Zealand her research has focusses on …understanding the mechanisms underlying our genetic susceptibility to heart disease. She has a particular interest in identifying genetic variants and RNA molecules circulating in our blood (including long-non coding RNAs and circular RNAs) that may signal the early stages of heart disease and contribute to a poor prognosis in heart patients. Her current research focusses on identifying genetic variants that may influence progression from coronary artery disease to heart failure.