Associate ProfessorSharon La Fontaine

Role of Metals in Health and Disease.

My lab-based research has focussed on the biology of copper and its role in health and disease. Copper is an essential nutrient metal involved in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes. It has become clear that copper regulatory pathways are corrupted in conditions that include neurodegenerative diseases and cancer leading to dysregulated copper levels, but the molecular basis of the link between copper and disease is still unclear. My research has centred around understanding the biological underpinnings of how cells and organisms maintain an adequate balance of copper and how disruptions to this process lead to disease. Through collaboration with colleagues at The Florey Institute, Victoria and the ANZAC Institute, NSW, we aim to understand the pathological role of copper and its dysregulation in neurodegenerative disease (eg Alzheimer's disease, and distal hereditary motor neuropathy). There is still much to be learned, but with a holistic view of the necessity and danger of copper and how this essential nutrient metal is managed and mismanaged, we continue to make significant contributions to this rapidly moving field.

Career Education and Work-Integrated Learning 

I lead research programs in career education and WIL assessment design seeking to create evidence-informed educational practices that prepare graduates to thrive in diverse and changing professional contexts. An ongoing study is evaluating the effectiveness of the embedded career education program and its impact on career development outcomes across the science degrees. Preliminary results suggest improvements in students' career confidence, preparedness, and course-relevant employment. This research also explores how socioeconomic, equity and accessibility factors shape students' career confidence, aspirations, and employment outcomes. In WIL, a collaborative project is in progress to investigate industry perspectives of science and IT placement-based assessment design; and to co-design inclusive and authentic assessment approaches that better meet the needs of diverse learners, employers and the institution. I am available to supervise interested Masters and PhD students on related projects.