Dr Katherine Lau

 

Dr Lau completed her PhD in HIV research in the area of molecular epidemiology and recombination pattern at the Westmead Millennium Institute in 2009. From July 2009 to May 2013, Dr Lau worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Perinatal Research Group, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney in the area of vascular biology research (angiogenesis). From May 2013 to November 2013, Dr Lau had taken up a role as the Postdoctoral Research Officer at the Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program, the Centenary Institute. Currently, Dr Lau is employed as a Scientist through RCPA QAP Pty Ltd (Biosecurity program), with affiliation with the Virology Research Laboratory (VRL), Prince of Wales Hospital. Her major roles are in the acquisition of simulated viral specimen for proficiency testing modules and the development of contemporary molecular methodologies for the improvement of laboratory testing procedures. Over the past ten years working predominantly in the areas of virology (HIV, dengue virus, enterovirus) and vascular biology research (angiogenesis), Dr Lau has developed into a meticulous molecular biologist and a self-motivated biomedical scientist with multidisciplinary skills. Throughout her research career, she has developed sound research knowledge and technical skills especially in the areas of molecular biology, virology and cell biology. In her past and current roles, she has demonstrated her ability to develop new and innovative molecular biology and molecular genetics techniques, particularly in gene manipulation and detection. She has direct experience in managing research projects and her long-term career aim is to expand in the areas of scientific research management and development.

Research Interest

Dr Lau’s major research highlights are in the design of molecular assays to demonstrate the replication fitness and biological advantageous of new strain of viruses in response to selective pressures present in their environment. She also has experience in the differential gene expression profiling of new viral strains, in comparison to the parental strains. Using her extensive experience and knowledge in the areas of molecular biology, she has developed methodologies to generate recombinant plasmid harbouring complementary DNA (cDNA) from relevant viruses to produce gene target of interest using in vitro RNA transcription. This development is critical in the circumvention of the problems associated with security-sensitive RNA viruses (including their instability and limited availability), as well as the implementation of quality assurance programs for these viral pathogens.

Grants

1. Early Career Researcher Overseas Travel Support, Sydney Medical School, 2012
2. Royal North Shore Hospital Beryl and Jack Jacobs Travel Grant, 2012
3. Early Career Researcher Grant, University of Sydney, 2011 ($22,500)

Awards

1. Young Investigator Award at the 14th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2007) Los Angeles, CA, USA, 25-28^th, February 2007
2. Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (EIPRS), 2006-2008
3. Westmead Millennium Institute, Millennium Foundation Top-up Award, 2006-2008

Publications

Full Research Article:

1. Lau KA, Theis T, Gray J, Rawlinson WD. (2017) EbolaPreparedness: Diagnosis Improvement Using Rapid Approaches for Proficiency Testing. J Clin Microbiol. Mar;55(3):783-790
2. Wong JJL, Au AYM, Gao D, Pinello N, Kwok C-T, Thoeng A, Lau KA, Gordon JEA, Schmitz U, Feng Y, Nguyen TV, Middleton R, Bailey CG, Holst J, Rasko JEJ, Ritchie W. (2016) RBM3 regulates temperature sensitive miR-142–5p and miR-143 (thermomiRs), which target immune genes and control fever. Nucleic Acids Res. 44:2888-2897
3. Wong, JJ-L, Lau KA, Pinello, N, Rasko, JEJ. (2014) Epigenetic modifications of splicing factor genes in myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer Sci. 105:1457-1463
4. Wong JJL, Ritchie W, Gao D, Lau KA, Gonzalez M, Choudhary A, Taft RJ, Rasko JEJ, Holst J. (2014) Identification of nuclear-enriched miRNAs during mouse granulopoiesis. J Hematol Oncol. 7:42
5. Chaston DJ, Baillie BK, Grayson TH, Courjaret RJ, Heisler JM, Lau KA, Machaca K,  Nicholson BJ, Ashton A, Matthaei KI and Hill CE. Polymorphism in endothelial connexin40 enhances sensitivity to intraluminal pressure and increases arterial stiffness. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol.2013 May; 33(5):962-70
6. Lau KA, Wang B, Miranda-Saksena M, Boadle R, Kamarulzaman A, Ng KP, Saksena NK. Evidence for Possible Biological Advantages of the Newly Emerging HIV-1 Circulating Recombinant form (CRF) from Malaysia - CRF33_01B in Comparison to its Progenitors - CRF01_AE and Subtype B. Curr HIV Res. 2010 Apr; 8(3):259-71
7. Lau KA, Wang B, Kamarulzaman A, Ng KP, Saksena NK. Continuous crossover(s) events of HIV-1 CRF01_AE and B subtype strains in Malaysia: evidence of rapid and extensive HIV-1 evolution in the region. Curr HIV Res. 2008 Mar;6(2):108-16
8. Lau KA, Wang B, Kamarulzaman A, Peng Ng K, Saksena NK. Near Full-Length Sequence Analysis of a Unique CRF01_AE/B Recombinant from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2007 Sep;23(9):1139-45
9. Wang B, Lau KA, Ong LY, Shah M, Steain MC, Foley B, Dwyer DE, Chew CB, Kamarulzaman A, Ng KP, Saksena NK. Complex patterns of the HIV-1 epidemic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: evidence for expansion of circulating recombinant form CRF33_01B and detection of multiple other recombinants. Virology. 2007 Oct 25;367(2):288-97 (Equal first-author)

Review Article:

1. Lau KA and Wong JJL. Current Trends in HIV Recombination. Infectious Disease Reports. (In press)
2. Lau KA, Wang B, Saksena NK. Emerging trends of HIV epidemiology in Asia. AIDS Rev. 2007 Oct-Dec;9(4):218-29

Book Chapter:

1. Saksena NK. Wu J, Lau KA, Zhou L, Soedjono M, Wang B (2010).  CD8 Antiviral Soluble Factors and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Control.  In Alfano (ed.), Soluble Factors Mediating Innate Immune Responses to HIV Infection vol. 1. Bentham Science Publishers, pages 1-16
2. Saksena NK, Lau KA, Dwyer DE and Wang B (2011). HIV Recombination and Pathogenesis - Biological and Epidemiological Implications. In Nancy Dumais (ed.), HIV and AIDS - Updates on Biology, Immunology, Epidemiology and Treatment Strategies, InTech, pages 97-124

Manuscript in Preparation:

Theis T, Lau KA, Gray J, Oxenford C, Rawlinson W. Proficiency Testing for the Detection of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus demonstrates global capacity to detect MERS-CoV.