My group's research uses large-scale genomic data to address knowledge gaps in disease and health, with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease.

Research programme

1. Using genomic data to improve understanding, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. My research aims to:

· Improve our understanding of heart failure biology. From 2016-2020 I was the lead analyst for the HERMES Consortium, co-leading one of the largest genetic studies of heart failure at the time of publication

· Improve our understanding sex-specific cardiovascular risk

· Improve our understanding cardiovascular comorbidity, particular in psychiatric disorders

· Improve cardiovascular risk assessment in the Australian South Asian population. See saghaus.org for further details.

2. Pharmacogenomics

· Using genomics to identify drug repurposing opportunities as well as identifying unknown adverse effects of medication

· Developing a genomics pipeline aimed at understanding the mechanism of action of new compounds to facilitate drug discovery.

3. Improving liver transplant outcomes

· Using genomics to understand the effect of normo-thermic perfusion (a new organ storage method) on liver function.

· Using genomics to improve prediction of short and long-term liver transplant outcomes

Career summary: I was awarded my PhD from University College London (UK) in cardiovascular genetics. I began my post-doctoral fellowship under the mentorship of Prof Peter Visscher at the Queensland Brain Institute in 2013. In 2018, I was awarded an NHMRC Early Career Researcher Fellowship to investigate the relationship between cardiovascular and brain-related disorders using large-scale genetic and genomic data, under the mentorship of Prof Naomi Wray. I currently hold a National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship.

I am the recipient of:

2020 Genetic Society of Australasia Early Career Award

2020 Women in Technology Rising Star Science Award

2021/2022 Australian Superstar of STEM,

2022 UQ Foundation Research Excellence Award

2022 Queensland Young Tall Poppy Award

2023: Named in Australia's Top 25 Women in Science by Newscorp

2023 1 of 5 global finalists for the Nature Inspiring Women in Science (Scientific Achievement Award)

2023 Lifesciences QLD Rose-Anne Kelso Award