Dr Hana Starobova
Higher degree by research (PhD) student & NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow
Institute for Molecular Bioscience
334 62366
Researcher biography
Dr Hana Starobova is a pharmacist and NHMRC research fellow at the Sensory Neuropharmacology Group at the University of Queensland (UQ). She works under the mentorship of Prof. Vetter, and as an early career researcher, she is working toward an independent research career as a group leader. She obtained her PhD in 2020 from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, UQ, and continued here to conduct studies as a Children Hospital Foundation Fellow (2021-2023) in the areas of cancer therapy-induced adverse and late effects with the main focus on neuropathies. Over the past four years, she has developed a research program focusing on the understanding of cancer therapy-induced adverse and late effects with a special interest in children, and established innovative transcriptomic and microscopy pipelines, in vitro assays, adult and juvenile models of adverse and late effects following mono- and combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy, assays for the assessment of adverse effects including cognition and neuropathies, as well as cancer models. Knowledge impact arising from her research program has been disseminated in 18 peer-reviewed publications, having together attracted >1,100 citations (h-index 15, i10-index 18, Google Scholar, May 2024).
Journal Articles
Tay, Nicolette, Alshammari, Ammar, Kaur, Simranpreet, Pettit, Allison, Mu, Erica, Reid, Anna, Winkler, Ingrid, Vetter, Irina and Starobova, Hana (2025). A comprehensive protocol for simplified mouse DRG fixation, processing and F4/80 immunohistochemistry: Overcoming common challenges. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 418 110434, 110434. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2025.110434
Starobova, Hana, McCalmont, Hannah, Shatunova, Svetlana, Tay, Nicolette, Smith, Christopher M., Robertson, Avril, Winkler, Ingrid, Lock, Richard B. and Vetter, Irina (2025). Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome using MCC950 reduces vincristine‐induced adverse effects in an acute lymphoblastic leukemia patient‐derived xenograft model. HemaSphere, 9 (3) e70092, e70092-3. doi: 10.1002/hem3.70092
Starobova, Hana, Alshammari, Ammar, Winkler, Ingrid G. and Vetter, Irina (2024). The role of the neuronal microenvironment in sensory function and pain pathophysiology. Journal of Neurochemistry, 168 (11), 3620-3643. doi: 10.1111/jnc.15724
Shatunova, Svetlana, Aktar, Rubina, Peiris, Madusha, Lee, Jia Yu Peppermint, Vetter, Irina and Starobova, Hana (2024). The role of the gut microbiome in neuroinflammation and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. European Journal of Pharmacology, 979 176818, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176818
Tay, Nicolette, Laakso, E-Liisa, Schweitzer, Daniel, Endersby, Raelene, Vetter, Irina and Starobova, Hana (2022). Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in children and adolescent cancer patients. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, 9 1015746, 1015746. doi: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1015746
Stables, Jennifer, Green, Emma K., Sehgal, Anuj, Patkar, Omkar L., Keshvari, Sahar, Taylor, Isis, Ashcroft, Maisie E., Grabert, Kathleen, Wollscheid-Lengeling, Evi, Szymkowiak, Stefan, McColl, Barry W., Adamson, Antony, Humphreys, Neil E., Mueller, Werner, Starobova, Hana, Vetter, Irina, Shabestari, Sepideh Kiani, Blurton-Jones, Matthew M., Summers, Kim M., Irvine, Katharine M., Pridans, Clare and Hume, David A. (2022). A kinase-dead Csf1r mutation associated with adult-onset leukoencephalopathy has a dominant inhibitory impact on CSF1R signalling. Development, 149 (8) dev200237. doi: 10.1242/dev.200237
Eagles, David A., Saez, Natalie J., Krishnarjuna, Bankala, Bradford, Julia J., Chin, Yanni K.-Y., Starobova, Hana, Mueller, Alexander, Reichelt, Melissa E., Undheim, Eivind A. B., Norton, Raymond S., Thomas, Walter G., Vetter, Irina, King, Glenn F. and Robinson, Samuel D. (2022). A peptide toxin in ant venom mimics vertebrate EGF-like hormones to cause long-lasting hypersensitivity in mammals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119 (7) e2112630119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2112630119
Finol-Urdaneta, Rocio K., Ziegman, Rebekah, Dekan, Zoltan, McArthur, Jeffrey R., Heitmann, Stewart, Luna-Ramirez, Karen, Tae, Han-Shen, Mueller, Alexander, Starobova, Hana, Chin, Yanni K.-Y., Wingerd, Joshua S., Undheim, Eivind A. B., Cristofori-Armstrong, Ben, Hill, Adam P., Herzig, Volker, King, Glenn F., Vetter, Irina, Rash, Lachlan D., Adams, David J. and Alewood, Paul F. (2022). Multitarget nociceptor sensitization by a promiscuous peptide from the venom of the King Baboon spider. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119 (5) e2110932119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2110932119
Starobova, Hana, Monteleone, Mercedes, Adolphe, Christelle, Batoon, Lena, Sandrock, Cheyenne J., Tay, Bryan, Deuis, Jennifer R., Smith, Alexandra V., Mueller, Alexander, Nadar, Evelyn Israel, Lawrence, Grace Pamo, Mayor, Amanda, Tolson, Elissa, Levesque, Jean-Pierre, Pettit, Allison R., Wainwright, Brandon J., Schroder, Kate and Vetter, Irina (2021). Vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy is driven by canonical NLRP3 activation and IL-1β release. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 218 (5) e20201452. doi: 10.1084/jem.20201452
Hasan, Md. Mahadhi, Starobova, Hana, Mueller, Alexander, Vetter, Irina and Lewis, Richard J. (2021). Subcutaneous ω-conotoxins alleviate mechanical pain in rodent models of acute peripheral neuropathy. Marine Drugs, 19 (2) 106, 1-15. doi: 10.3390/md19020106
Peigneur, Steve, da Costa Oliveira, Cristina, de Sousa Fonseca, Flávia Cristina, McMahon, Kirsten L., Mueller, Alexander, Cheneval, Olivier, Cristina Nogueira Freitas, Ana, Starobova, Hana, Dimitri Gama Duarte, Igor, Craik, David J., Vetter, Irina, de Lima, Maria Elena, Schroeder, Christina I. and Tytgat, Jan (2021). Small cyclic sodium channel inhibitors. Biochemical Pharmacology, 183 114291, 114291. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114291
Starobova, Hana, Nadar, Evelyn Israel and Vetter, Irina (2020). The NLRP3 inflammasome: role and therapeutic potential in pain treatment. Frontiers in Physiology, 11 1016, 1016. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2020.01016
Mueller, Alexander, Dekan, Zoltan, Kaas, Quentin, Agwa, Akello J., Starobova, Hana, Alewood, Paul F., Schroeder, Christina I., Mobli, Mehdi, Deuis, Jennifer R. and Vetter, Irina (2020). Mapping the molecular surface of the analgesic NaV1.7-selective peptide Pn3a reveals residues essential for membrane and channel interactions. ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science. doi: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00002
Mueller, Alexander, Starobova, Hana, Morgan, Michael, Dekan, Zoltan, Cheneval, Olivier, Schroeder, Christina I., Alewood, Paul F., Deuis, Jennifer R. and Vetter, Irina (2019). Antiallodynic effects of the selective NaV1.7 inhibitor Pn3a in a mouse model of acute postsurgical pain: evidence for analgesic synergy with opioids and baclofen. Pain, 160 (8), 1766-1780. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001567
Starobova, H., Mueller, A., Allavena, R., Lohman, R. J., Sweet, M. J. and Vetter, I. (2019). Minocycline prevents the development of mechanical allodynia in mouse models of vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13 (JUN) 653, 653. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00653
Starobova, Hana, Mueller, Alexander, Deuis, Jennifer R., Carter, David A. and Vetter, Irina (2019). Inflammatory and neuropathic gene expression signatures of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy induced by vincristine, cisplatin and oxaliplatin in C57BL/6J mice. The Journal of Pain, 21 (1-2), 182-194. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2019.06.008
Starobova, H., S. W. A., Himaya, Lewis, R. J. and Vetter, I. (2018). Transcriptomics in pain research: insights from new and old technologies. Molecular Omics, 14 (6), 389-404. doi: 10.1039/c8mo00181b
Robinson, Samuel D., Mueller, Alexander, Clayton, Daniel, Starobova, Hana, Hamilton, Brett R., Payne, Richard J., Vetter, Irina, King, Glenn F. and Undheim, Eivind A. B. (2018). A comprehensive portrait of the venom of the giant red bull ant, Myrmecia gulosa, reveals a hyperdiverse hymenopteran toxin gene family. Science Advances, 4 (9) eaau4640, eaau4640. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aau4640
Starobova, Hana and Vetter, Irina (2017). Pathophysiology of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 10 174. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00174
Vetter, Irina, Deuis, Jennifer, Mueller, Alexander, Israel, Mathilde R., Hana Starobova, Zhang, Alan, Rash, Lachlan D. and Mobli, Mehdi (2016). NaV1.7 as a pain target – from gene to pharmacology. Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 172, 73-100. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2016.11.015
Mueller, Alexander, Starobova, Hana, Inserra, Marco C., Jin, Ai-Hua, Deuis, Jennifer R., Dutertre, Sebastien, Lewis, Richard J., Alewood, Paul F., Daly, Norelle L. and Vetter, Irina (2015). α-conotoxin MrIC is a biased agonist at α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Biochemical Pharmacology, 94 (2), 155-163. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2015.01.011
Conference Papers
Le Sourd, Samuel, Garcia-Carbonero, Rocio, Hiret, Sandrine, Gyllenback, Elin Jaensson, Millrud, Camilla Rydberg, Thorsson, Lars, Shatunova, Svetlana, Vetter, Irina, Starobova, Hana and Liberg, David (2025). Adding nadunolimab to chemotherapy or antibody drug-conjugates (ADCs) may improve antitumor efficacy and counteract peripheral neuropathy. AACR Annual Meeting 2025, Chicago, IL United States, 25-30 April 2025. Philadelphia, PA United States: American Association for Cancer Research. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2025-309
Gyllenback, Elin Jaensson, Shatunova, Svetlana, Rydberg-Millrud, Camilla, Grönberg, Caitríona, Vetter, Irina, Starobova, Hana and Liberg, David (2024). Antibody drug conjugate (ADC) payload-induced IL1 suggests potential for anti-IL1RAP therapy combination for enhanced treatment efficacy and prevention of neuropathy. SITC 39th Annual Meeting (SITC 2024), Houston, TX United States, 6-10 November 2024. London, United Kingdom: BMJ Group. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2024-sitc2024.1303
Van Cutsem, Eric, Ochsenreither, Sebastian, Collignon, Joelle, Eefsen, Rikke Lovendahl, Ivanauskas, Audrius, Shatunova, Svetlana, Vetter, Irina, Gyllenback, Elin Jaensson, Skoog, Petter, Losic, Nedjad, Tersago, Dominique and Starobova, Hana (2024). Impact on chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy of nadunolimab, a first-in-class monoclonal antibody against IL1RAP, in patients with pancreatic cancer, with supportive mouse model data. 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting Gastrointestinal Cancer—Gastroesophageal, Pancreatic, and Hepatobiliary, Chicago, IL, United States, 31 May - 4 June 2024. Alexandria, VA, United States: American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Van Cutsem, Eric, Ochsenreither, Sebastian, Collignon, Joelle, Eefsen, Rikke Løvendahl, Ivanauskas, Audrius, Shatunova, Svetlana, Vetter, Irina, Gyllenbäck, Elin Jaensson, Skoog, Petter, Losic, Nedjad, Tersago, Dominique and Starobova, Hana (2024). Impact on chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy of nadunolimab, a first-in-class monoclonal antibody against IL1RAP, in patients with pancreatic cancer, with supportive mouse model data. 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL United States, 31 May - 4 June 2024. Alexandria, VA United States: American Society of Clinical Oncology. doi: 10.1200/jco.2024.42.16_suppl.4148
Hasan, Mahadhi, Abraham, Nikita, Cardoso, Fernanda C., Ragnarsson, Lotten, Starobova, Hana, Mueller, Alexander, Vetter, Irina and Lewis, Richard J. (2021). Subcutaneous analgesic actions and mode of action of binding of ω-conotoxins at Cav2.2. Venom to Drugs, Daydream Island, QLD Australia, 15 - 19 March 2021.
Hasan, Mahadhi, Mueller, Alexander, Starobova, Hana, Vetter, Irina, Cardoso, Fernanda C. and Lewis, Richard J. (2019). New insights in ω-conotoxin analgesic efficacy in postsurgical pain and oxaliplatin/cisplatin induced peripheral neuropathy. Brisbane Pain Research Symposium: Multidisciplinary Perspectives & Therapeutics 2019, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 29 November 2019.
Thesis
Starobova, Hana (2020). Novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of vincristine induced peripheral neuropathy. PhD Thesis, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2020.972