Dr Nadya Panagides specialises in cancer immunology and therapeutics development, harnessing the mechanisms of the innate immune system to target cancer

Dr Nadya Panagides is an early career research scientist working at the AIBN within the University of Queensland. She completed her PhD in November 2021 with the ARC training Centre for Biopharmaceutical Innovation (CBI) in collaboration with CSL Ltd. Her research focus was to use phage display biopanning techniques to isolate novel antibodies against cell-surface biomarkers. As an outcome of this project, Nadya produced a monoclonal antibody that could inhibit the function of a shared cytokine receptor; with aberrant expression of the target receptor implicated in myeloproliferative, autoimmune and chronic respiratory diseases.

Since completing her PhD, Nadya has been working in Associate Professor Barbara Rolfe's laboratory investigating the role of the complement system in cancer, investigating the cellular mechanisms of anti-inflammatory drugs that limit cancer growth. Additionally, Nadya manages and directs external immunology research projects, which examine the foreign body response to implanted materials, such as biomedical devices and extracellular vesicles. Prior to their PhD candidature, Nadya spent four years (including their honours research project) in Associate Professor Bryan Fry's lab performing proteomic fingerprinting of African snake venoms and exploring the anti-cancer properties of venom toxins. Dr Nadya Panagides has a large repertoire of technical expertise, including molecular biology techniques, antibody engineering and protein-based analytical techniques (HPLC, SPR, ELISA), flow cytometry and cell-culture techniques, as well as extensive experience with mouse models.

Nadya is a South African citizen with Mediterranean heritage. They are an active member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Immunology (ASI) and The Antibody Society. In their spare time, Nadya enjoys science communication and co-hosted Natural Reaction, a STEM-based radio show (now a podcast) on 4zzz community radio.

Industry

ARC training scholarship in partnership with ​CSL Ltd. 

Research collaboration with Tenasitech Pty Ltd. 

Research collaboration with TekCyte Ltd. 

Research collaboration with Exopharm Ltd. 

Key Publications

1. Panagides, N.; Zacchi, L.F.; De Souza, M.J.; Morales, R.A.V.; Karnowski, A.; Liddament, M.T.; Owczarek, C.M.; Mahler, S.M.; Panousis, C.; Jones, M.L.; Fercher, C., Evaluation of Phage Display Biopanning Strategies for the Selection of Anti-Cell Surface Receptor AntibodiesInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences 2022, 23(15), 8470.

2. Panagides, N.; Jackson T.N.W.; Pretzler, R.; Ikonomopoulou, M.P.; Arbuckle, K.; Yang, D.C.; Ali, S.A.; Koludarov, I.; Dobson, J.;Sanker, B.; Asselin, A.; Santana, R.C.; Hendrix, I.; Van Der Ploeg, H.; Tai-a-pin, J.; Van Den Bergh, R.; Kerkkamp, H.; Vonk, F.J.; Naude, A.; Strydom, M.; Jacobsz, L.; Dunstan, N.; Jaeger, M.; Hodgson W.C.; Miles, J.J; Fry, B.G., How the cobra got its venom: cytotoxicity as a defensive innovation and its co-evolution with hooding and spitting. Toxins 2017, 9 (3), 103.

3. Nabizadeh, J. A.; Manthey, H. D.; Panagides, N.; Steyn, F. J.; Lee, J. D.; Li, X. X.; Akhir, F. N. M.; Chen, W.; Boyle, G. M.; Taylor, S. M.; Woodruff, T. M.; Rolfe, B. E., C5a receptors C5aR1 and C5aR2 mediate opposing pathologies in a mouse model of melanoma. FASEB J 2019, 33 (10), 11060-11071.

4. Santana, R.C.; Perez, D.; Dobson, J.; Panagides, N.; Raven, R.J.; Nouwens, A.; Jones, A.; King, G.F.; Fry, B.G., Venom Profiling of a Population of the Theraphosid Spider Phlogius crassipes Reveals Continuous Ontogenetic Changes from Juveniles through Adulthood. Toxins2017, 9(4), 116.

5. Koludarov, I.; Jackson T.N.W.; op den Brouw, B.; Dobson, J.; Dashevsky, D.; Arbuckle, K., Clemente, C.J.; Stockdale, E.J.; Cochran, C.; Debono, J.; Stephens, C.; Panagides, N.; Manchadi, M.L.R.; Violette, A.; Fourmy, R.; Hendrikx, I.; Nouwens, A.; Clements, J.; Martelli, P.; Kwok, H.F.; Fry, B.G., Enter the dragon: The dynamic and multifunctional evolution of anguimorpha lizard venoms.  Toxins 2017, 9 (8), 242.