Grace Cumbers is a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, conducting her research in the Kassiou Drug Discovery Lab as part of the Danon Group. Her work focuses on investigating the functional effects of the A147T single nucleotide polymorphism in the translocator protein (TSPO) on neurosteroid production, and on developing PET radiotracers to image TSPO as a biomarker of neuroinflammation. Grace has a background in complementary medicine and is a qualified, practicing Naturopath. After several years in clinical practice, she transitioned into research by completing a Master of Brain and Mind Sciences at the University of Sydney. She then joined the Kassiou Lab as a research assistant, where she developed a strong interest in neuroscience and drug discovery. Now in the second year of her PhD, Grace is applying CRISPR gene editing technologies to develop drug-testing platforms using iPSC-derived brain cells. She is a recipient of the John A. Lamberton Scholarship and has participated in the SPARK commercialisation program, which supports the translation of academic research into real-world applications. Drawing on her clinical experience, Grace is passionate about bridging the gap between laboratory research and patient care. She has a strong interest in the development and operation of clinical trials and is particularly focused on the integration of plant-based compounds into evidence-based neuropharmacological therapies.

Dr Scott’s primary research interest is on understanding the kinase signaling pathways that regulate mood and behavior in response to hormones and metabolites that signal changes in energy availability. His research is specifically focused on the control of the CaMKK2 pathway, which is a regulator of brain function and whole-body energy metabolism. Loss-of-function mutations in CaMKK2 are linked with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in humans. A major goal of Dr Scott’s research is to validate CaMKK2 as a rational treatment target for mood and related psychiatric disorders, and he has established international collaborations with academic and industrial partners to develop new drugs that target CaMKK2. Dr Scott graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from the University of Glasgow and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Dundee funded by a prestigious Wellcome Trust Prize scholarship, after which he moved to Melbourne to undertake postdoctoral studies with Prof Bruce Kemp AO at St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research (SVIMR). Dr Scott is currently a Senior Research Fellow and Group Leader at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. He also holds a Senior Research Associate appointment at SVIMR. His research team uses a wide range of techniques including biochemistry, cell biology, protein crystallography, mass spectrometry, and genetically modified mouse models to decipher the role of the CaMKK2 pathway in the regulation of brain function and whole-body metabolism in health and disease.