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Tuesday April 16, 2024

Congratulations to Lelinh Duong
2023 ASI Career Advancement Awardee - Postgraduate Category

We warmly congratulate
Lelinh Duong
Recipient of a 2023 ASI Career Advancement Award - Postgraduate Category

 

I am a final year PhD candidate in the Immunoageing Lab at Curtin University, Western Australia, under the supervision of Dr Connie Jackaman. Our team investigates changes to innate immune responses during ageing and the impact on age-related disease, including cancer, muscle repair and dementia. My research is focused on investigating the underlying mechanisms of macrophage dysfunction in the elderly tumour microenvironment to identify therapeutic avenues to improve outcomes for elderly cancer patients, using preclinical animal models in mesothelioma and lung cancer. Through a combination of RNA sequencing, ATAC sequencing and advanced flow cytometry techniques my studies have identified key changes to tumour-associated macrophages during ageing which can be targeted to specifically to reduce tumour growth and improve survival in the elderly. I am currently preparing the manuscripts of the findings for publication.

I am sincerely grateful to have received an ASI Career Advancement Award as it provides invaluable support at a critical juncture when my scholarship has concluded. The progress of my research was severely delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it had on experiments involving ageing mice. Additionally, I took six months maternity leave in 2022 to give birth to my beautiful daughter and returned to work, initially, at a part-time capacity. I recently submitted my thesis and due to this award, I can now focus on preparing my work for publication and improve future success in fellowship and grant applications. Thank you, ASI, for giving me the opportunity to continue my passion in research, assist with my transition from postgraduate to postdoctoral researcher, so I can further advance the growing field of ageing cancer immunology.

Author: Lelinh Duong

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ASI