Dr Juliana Antonipillai

Dr Juliana Antonipillai is a lecturer who specialises in cancer and cardiovascular biology.

Prior to joining Victoria University, Juliana was an academic researcher for 12 years at several medical research institutes and hospitals in Melbourne and the USA.

In the last five years her research has focused mainly on how LIMK regulates platelet function in humans and mice, and on the role of LIMK in cancer metastasis, using a variety of small molecule LIMK inhibitors. She demonstrated that these inhibitors inhibit the proliferation of human breast cancer cells in 2D and 3D cultures. She also contributed to a collaborative study showing the effect of a new LIMK inhibitor drug, Pyr1, on cancer cell growth in vitro and in mice.

Key publications

Li R, Doherty J, Antonipillai J, Chen S, Visser K, Anderson R, Bernard O. (2012) LIM kinase inhibition reduces breast cancer growth and metastasis in vitro but not in mice. Clinical & Experimental Metastasis, December 13

Prudent R, Vassal-Stermann E, Nguyen C, Pillet C, Barette C, Soleilhac E, Martinez A, Filhol O, Beghin A, Aci-Sèche S, Grierson D, Antonipillai J, Li R, Florent J, Dumontet C, Knapp S, Bernard O and Lafanechère L (2012) Pharmacological inhibition of LIM Kinase stabilizes microtubules and has anticancer activity. Cancer Research, July 3

Hu H, Armstrong PC, Khalil E, Chen YC, Straub A, Li M, Soosairajah J, Hagemeyer CE, Bassler N, Huang D, Ahrens I, Krippner G, Gardiner E, Peter K. (2011) GPVI and GPIbα mediate staphylococcal superantigen-like protein 5 (SSL5) induced platelet activation and direct toward glycans as potential inhibitors. PLoS One, 28;6(4):e19190

Zirlik A, Gerdes N, MacFarlane L, Soosairajah J, Bavendiek U, Ahrens I, Ernst S, Bassler N, Ailkawa M, Schonbeck U, Bode C, Libby P, Peter K. (2007) Mac-1 mediates CD40L-induced atherogenesis. ATVB, 27:E120-E120

Wang S, Zhang Y, Soosairajah J, Kraft A. (2007) Regulation of RUNX1/AML1 during the G2/M transition. Leukemia Research, 31:839-851

View more of Juliana's publications: Soosairajah; Antonipillai.

Conference presentations

Soosairajah, J (2003) "The Regulation of LIMK activity", presented at the "International Conference of Immunology", Cairns Convention Centre, Queensland.

Soosairajah, J (2004) "The Down Regulation of LIMK activity, a regulator of actin dynamics", presented at the "Keystone Symposia", Lake Tahoe, California, USA.

Antonipillai, J (2012) "Role of LIMK in platelet function", presented at the "Australian Vascular Biology Society (AVBS) Conference", Gold coast, Queensland.

Teaching responsibilities

Teaching Physiology, Pathophysiology in Biomedicine, Pathophysiology and Quality use of medicines for nursing, and Cell and Molecular biology for Biomedicine students

Currently enrolled in Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education (anticipated to complete by 2015).

Coordination

Unit Coordinator for RBM2104 Pathophysiology and Quality use of Medicines 1

Postgraduate research students and fellows

Co-supervisor of one PhD student from 2014

Professional memberships

• Australian Vascular Biology Society (AVBS)

Awards

• 2012 - ECR poster runner-up award, 20th AVBS conference at Queensland
• 2004 - WEHI Research Scholarship
• 2004 - Edith Moffat travel scholarship award; WEHI
• 2003 - Melbourne University travel scholarship
• 2001 - Melbourne Research Scholarship, The University of Melbourne
• 2000 - La Trobe University Honours scholarship
• 1999 - Recognition in the Dean’s Honours list of excellent academic achievement for the year 1998 La Trobe University
• 1998 - Recognition in the Dean’s Honours list of excellent academic achievement for the year 1997 La Trobe University
• 1998 - Golden Key National Honour Society award and life time membership award (LaTrobe University)

Appearances in the media

Two young heart research scientists bring medical research to life and inspire students in Gisborne, June 27, 2007 (Australian Society for Medical Research)