Qianyu Helen Chen received her Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Peking University and completed her PhD in Pharmacology at The University of Melbourne. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at The University of Melbourne, where she contributes to translational drug development programs in collaboration with TianLi Biotech, with a focus on innovative therapeutics for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and inflammatory lung diseases. Her research expertise spans pharmacology, translational medicine, biomarker discovery, and preclinical-to-clinical evaluation strategies, integrating experimental and data-driven approaches to support therapeutic development. She has an interest in bridging mechanistic pharmacology with clinical application, particularly through quantitative and translational assessment platforms.

Alex completed his undergraduate degree in pharmacology at the University of Toronto and is currently a first-year PhD student at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on inflammatory signaling and gene expression mechanisms underlying diseases such as severe asthma.

Priyanka Chandramohan is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences program at the University of Calgary, mentored by Dr. Robert Newton. She holds dual master’s degrees in Biohealth Engineering from France and Medical Biotechnology from India. Her research focuses on unraveling the molecular interactions between glucocorticoids (GCs) and β₂-adrenoceptor agonists (β₂As) in asthma therapy, with particular emphasis on the role of CREB-regulated transcription coactivators—CRTC1, CRTC2, and CRTC3—in mediating GC- and β₂A-induced gene expression in airway epithelial cells. Outside the laboratory, Priyanka enjoys playing basketball, baking, hiking, reading, and spending quality time with her niece and nephew.

Priyanka Chandramohan is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences program at the University of Calgary, mentored by Dr. Robert Newton. She holds dual master’s degrees in Biohealth Engineering from France and Medical Biotechnology from India. Her research focuses on unraveling the molecular interactions between glucocorticoids (GCs) and β₂-adrenoceptor agonists (β₂As) in asthma therapy, with particular emphasis on the role of CREB-regulated transcription coactivators—CRTC1, CRTC2, and CRTC3—in mediating GC- and β₂A-induced gene expression in airway epithelial cells. Outside the laboratory, Priyanka enjoys playing basketball, baking, hiking, reading, and spending quality time with her niece and nephew.

Helen Irving is a Professor in Biomedical Sciences and leads a theme in the Holsworth Biomedical Research Centre and is member of the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences (LIMS). Helen's current research focusses on understanding moonlighting ligand-gated ion channels, cryptic enzymes and inflammatory signals at the molecular level to develop new and improved approaches to managing inflammatory conditions.

Dr. Ayaho Yamamoto is the Group Leader of Laboratory Science within the Children’s Health and Environment Program at the Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland and is an early career researcher in the field of Biomedical Science. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanistic links between environmental exposures and adverse respiratory outcomes. In particular, she examines cellular responses of the human respiratory epithelium following air pollution exposure and/or viral infection, as well as age-related differences in immune defence mechanisms. Additionally, she investigates early intervention strategies using dietary antioxidants to improve respiratory health and reduce the risk of long-term chronic diseases.