Dr Fatima El-Assaad

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Dr Fatima El-Assaad is the Senior Research Associate at UNSW Microbiome Research Centre (MRC) and a former UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2015 - 2017). She graduated with First Class Honours in Medical Science and was awarded her PhD in Medicine (by publications) at The University of Sydney (2013) for her work in the field of inflammation, infectious diseases and neuroscience.

Currently, together with the director of the MRC, Dr El-Assaad develops and implements various research projects and coordinates the research strategy, communications and interactions with various stakeholders. Her current interests lie in understanding the role of the microbiome in maintaining optimal health and their role various inflammatory diseases. She is leading projects in mental health and neuroscience (schizophrenia, dementia, age-related frailty), women and children’s health (endometriosis, pre-conception and pregnancy health), infectious disease (sepsis) and natural therapies (kefir, honey).

Dr El-Assaad has been involved with several cross-disciplinary consortia between basic science, policy, clinical translation and biotech leadership. She was awarded the prestigious HOPE Award at the 9th HOPE Meeting with Nobel Laureates (2017, Tokyo) and the Campion-Ma-Playoust Memorial Award at the 49th annual ASMR National Conference. She was one of 60 Early-Mid Career Researchers selected for the Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank (2016) and one of 3 invited Thinker in Residence at Flinders University (2016), one of 100 global leaders invited to the GAP Summit (2017, Washington DC) and the Nobel Prize Dialogue (2017,Tokyo), one of 14 Australian delegates to participate in the Australian Academy of Technology Sciences & Engineering Australia-China Young Scientists Exchange Program (2017, Beijing) and 1 of 5 Australian delegates Nominated by National Research Foundation, Prime Minister's Office, Singapore to attend the Global Young Scientists Summit (2020, Singapore).

Dr El-Assaad supports her UNSW peers through her positions on:

UNSW Early Career Academic Network (ECAN) Executive Committee
UNSW ECAN Faculty of Medicine and Health Sub-Committee
UNSW MEDIC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group

School:

St. George Clin Sch- Operating

Phone:

+61 (2) 9065 2118

Email:

f.el-assaad@unsw.edu.au

University role:

Senior Research Associate

Contact Category:

Academic

Qualifications:

2013 Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)

The University of Sydney
Sydney Medical School, Department of Pathology, Vascular Immunology Unit
Thesis by Publications: Microparticles, microRNA and cytoadherence in experimental cerebral malaria
Supervisors: Prof. Georges E. R. Grau and Dr. Valery Combes

2007 Bachelor of Medical Science (HONS) Class I (Pathology)

The University of Sydney
Sydney Medical School, Department of Pathology, Vascular Immunology Unit
Honours thesis: The role of microparticles in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria
Undergraduate subjects studied: Advanced Biology, Visceral, Musculoskeletal and Cranial and Cervical Anatomy, Toxicology, Cell Pathology, Microbiology, Physiology and Biochemistry
Elective options studied: Academic English and Psychology

Research

Field of Research (FOR) Tag:

Pathology

Medical Microbiology

Immunology

Infectious Diseases

Teaching & Supervision

I am available to supervise:

Yes

Areas of supervision:

Our research integrates basic science, bioinformatics, genomics, proteomics and clinical translation to study an extensive range of diseases that fall within national and global health priority areas. Our ultimate vision is to improve the global burden of disease through innovative, translational and collaborative research on the microbiome to drive better patient care and champion “a healthy microbiome for a healthy life”.

The healthy microbiome

Healthy Optimal Australian Microbiome (HOAM) study

This study aims to definitely characterise a healthy microbiome across different age cohorts from adolescents to super-aging centenarians to capture the ultimate Australian healthy microbiome signature.

2. Impact of kefir consumption on gut microbiome

This study aims to understand how consumption of kefir changes your gut microbiome.

The microbiome in endometriosis

Endometriosis is a debilitating gynaecological inflammatory condition that impacts 1 in 9 Australian women. We have several projects available investigating the influence of diet, extracellular vesicles, microbes, inflammation and other gut diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease on the development of endometriosis.

The microbiome in neuroinflammation and dementia

Dementia affects around 50 million people worldwide and is the second highest cause of death in Australia. This study aims to understand how changes in the microbiome contribute to dementia pathogenesis, as well as the influence of proton-pump inhibitors to exacerbate dementia presentation.

The MothersBabies Study

This study aims to recruit 2000 women and their partners to investigate the role of the microbiome in pre-conception health, pregnancy and its outcomes, including the health of the babies.

Skin microbiome in atopic dermatitis

The skin harbours a myriad of unique microbial communities that influence the health of the host. This study aims to understand the relationship between skin microbes and the development of atopic dermatitis.

Supervision keywords:

microbiome

endometriosis

dementia

ageing

skin and connective tissue diseases

skin cancer

Media

LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/drfatimael-assaad

Twitter Account:

https://twitter.com/fatima_elassaad?lang=en

Publications related to this Person

Book Chapters

El-Assaad F; Gong L; Gia A; Yim H; El-Omar E, 2019, 'Helicobacter pylori, peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer', in Eslick G (ed.), Gastrointestinal Diseases and Their Associated Infections, Elsevier, St Louis, pp. 17 - 29, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-54843-4.00002-7

El-Assaad F; Gong L; Gia A; Yim HCH; El-Omar EM, 2019, 'Chapter 2 Helicobacter pylori, Peptic Ulcer Disease and Gastric Cancer', in Gastrointestinal Diseases and their Associated Infections, pp. 17 - 29, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-54843-4.00002-7

de Groot PG; de Laat B; Rand J; Vlachoyiannopoulos PG; El-Assaad F; Krilis SA; Giannakopoulos B, 2017, 'Natural Proteins Involved in Antiphospholipid Syndrome', in Antiphospholipid Syndrome, Springer International Publishing, pp. 15 - 27, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55442-6_2

Journal articles

Hackett MJ; Aitken JB; El-Assaad F; McQuillan JA; Carter EA; Ball HJ; Tobin MJ; Paterson D; De Jonge MD; Siegele R; Cohen DD; Vogt S; Grau GE; Hunt NH; Lay PA, 2015, 'Neuroscience: Mechanisms of murine cerebral malaria: Multimodal imaging of altered cerebral metabolism and protein oxidation at hemorrhage sites', Science Advances, vol. 1, http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500911

Pai S; Qin J; Cavanagh L; Mitchell A; El-Assaad F; Jain R; Combes V; Hunt NH; Grau GER; Weninger W, 2014, 'Real-Time Imaging Reveals the Dynamics of Leukocyte Behaviour during Experimental Cerebral Malaria Pathogenesis', PLoS Pathogens, vol. 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1004236

El-Assaad F; Wheway J; Hunt NH; Grau GER; Combes V, 2014, 'Production, Fate and Pathogenicity of Plasma Microparticles in Murine Cerebral Malaria', PLoS Pathogens, vol. 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1003839

El-Assaad F; Combes V; Raymond Grau GE; Jamboua R, 2014, 'Potential Efficacy of Citicoline as Adjunct Therapy in Treatment of Cerebral Malaria', Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, vol. 58, pp. 602 - 605, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AAC.02591-12

El-Assaad F; Grau GE; Combes V, 2014, 'Experimental Models of Microvascular Immunopathology: The Example of Cerebral Malaria', J Neuroinfect Dis., http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26430675

El-Assaad F; Wheway J; Mitchell AJ; Lou J; Hunt NH; Combes V; Grau GER, 2013, 'Cytoadherence of plasmodium berghei-infected red blood cells to murine brain and lung microvascular endothelial cells in vitro', Infection and Immunity, vol. 81, pp. 3984 - 3991, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/IAI.00428-13

Hackett MJ; Lee J; El-Assaad F; McQuillan JA; Carter EA; Grau GE; Hunt NH; Lay PA, 2012, 'FTIR imaging of brain tissue reveals crystalline creatine deposits are an ex vivo marker of localized ischemia during murine cerebral malaria: General implications for disease neurochemistry', ACS Chemical Neuroscience, vol. 3, pp. 1017 - 1024, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/cn300093g

Faille D; El-Assaad F; Mitchell AJ; Alessi MC; Chimini G; Fusai T; Grau GE; Combes V, 2012, 'Endocytosis and intracellular processing of platelet microparticles by brain endothelial cells', Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, vol. 16, pp. 1731 - 1738, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1582-4934.2011.01434.x

Jambou R; El-Assaad F; Combes V; Grau GE, 2011, 'In vitro culture of Plasmodium berghei-ANKA maintains infectivity of mouse erythrocytes inducing cerebral malaria', Malaria Journal, vol. 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-10-346

Hackett MJ; McQuillan JA; El-Assaad F; Aitken JB; Levina A; Cohen DD; Siegele R; Carter EA; Grau GE; Hunt NH; Lay PA, 2011, 'Chemical alterations to murine brain tissue induced by formalin fixation: Implications for biospectroscopic imaging and mapping studies of disease pathogenesis', Analyst, vol. 136, pp. 2941 - 2952, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c0an00269k

El-Assaad F; Hempel C; Combes V; Mitchell AJ; Ball HJ; Kurtzhals JAL; Hunt NH; Mathys JM; Grau GER, 2011, 'Differential microRNA expression in experimental cerebral and noncerebral malaria', Infection and Immunity, vol. 79, pp. 2379 - 2384, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/IAI.01136-10

Combes V; El-Assaad F; Faille D; Jambou R; Hunt NH; Grau GER, 2010, 'Microvesiculation and cell interactions at the brain-endothelial interface in cerebral malaria pathogenesis', Progress in Neurobiology, vol. 91, pp. 140 - 151, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pneurobio.2010.01.007

Jambou R; El-Assaad F; Combes V; Grau GE, 2009, 'Citicoline (CDP-choline): What role in the treatment of complications of infectious diseases', International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, vol. 41, pp. 1467 - 1470, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocel.2009.02.011

Faille D; El-Assaad F; Alessi MC; Fusai T; Combes V; Grau GER, 2009, 'Platelet-endothelial cell interactions in cerebral malaria: The end of a cordial understanding', Thrombosis and Haemostasis, vol. 102, pp. 1093 - 1102, http://dx.doi.org/10.1160/TH09-05-0337

Conference Papers

Hackett MJ; Siegele R; El-Assaad F; McQuillan JA; Aitken JB; Carter EA; Grau GE; Hunt NH; Cohen D; Lay PA, 2011, 'Investigation of the mouse cerebellum using STIM and μ-PIXE spectrometric and FTIR spectroscopic mapping and imaging', in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, pp. 2260 - 2263, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2011.02.034

Conference Abstracts

El-Assaad F; Gordon KA; Zhou S; Qi M; Beretov J; Chen G; Giannakopoulos B; Krilis S, 2016, 'Gender dimorphism in the immunomodulatory role of beta eta 2-glycoprotein I in sepsis', in EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, Vol. 46, pp. 104 - 104, presented at International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, 21 August 2016 - 26 August 2016, http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000383610400207&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

St George & Sutherland Clinical School

Dr Fatima El-Assaad

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