Dr Minh Phan

Dr Minh Phan

Postdoctoral Fellow
  •  PhD in Food Science and Technology (UNSW, 2019)
  •  Master of Food Science (University of Melbourne, 2012)
  •  Bachelor of Food Engineering (HCMC University of Technology, 2007)
Medicine & Health
School of Optometry and Vision Science

Minh Phan has joined School of Optometry and Vision Science (SOVS) as a Posdoctoral Research Fellow since November 2019. She undertook her PhD in Food Science and Technology at UNSW School of Chemical Engineering under the prestigious Endeavour Postgraduate Scholarship. During her PhD, she used a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (Caco-2 cells) to evaluate changes in cellular biological effects and cellular uptake of phytochemicals as a result of food co-digestion. She tested antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of different phytochemical combinations for synergistic effects using both chemical and cellular models, and successfully developed LC-MS/MS methods for the measurement of different bioactive compounds extracted from plant-based materials and cell culture. She had published 6 articles during her PhD candidature in high impact peer-reviewed journals. 

Minh will apply her expertise in human cell culture and analytical chemistry for delivering studies to investigate the effects of sex hormones including oestrogens and androgens on the tear film and ocular surface using human meibomian gland epithelial cell (HMGEC) line. She is working with other senior SOVS researchers to establish cell culture conditions for differentiation of HMGEC, and to develop LC-MS/MS methods for quantification of sex steroids and lipids produced by HMGEC cells.

 

Phone
+61-2-9385 4829
Location
Level 3, Room 3.061 Rupert Myers Building, North Wing (M15)
  • Journal articles | 2023
    Duong HT; Phan MAT; Madigan MC; Stapleton F; Wilcsek G; Willcox M; Golebiowski B, 2023, 'Culture of primary human meibomian gland cells from surgically excised eyelid tissue', Experimental Eye Research, 235, pp. 109636, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2023.109636
    Journal articles | 2022
    Phan M; Gibson E; Golebiowski B; Stapleton F; Jenner A; Bucknall M, 2022, 'Analysis of sex steroids in human tears using LC-MS and GC-MS: considerations and developments to improve method sensitivity and accuracy', Experimental Eye Research, 225, pp. 109283, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2022.109283
    Journal articles | 2022
    Phan MAT; Madigan MC; Stapleton F; Willcox M; Golebiowski B, 2022, 'Human meibomian gland epithelial cell culture models: Current progress, challenges, and future directions', Ocular Surface, 23, pp. 96 - 113, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2021.11.012
    Journal articles | 2021
    Phan MAT; Madigan MC; Willcox M; Stapleton F; Golebiowski B, 2021, 'Semi-quantification of lipids in human meibomian gland epithelial cells using dual staining microplate assays', Experimental Eye Research, 210, pp. 108719, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2021.108719
    Journal articles | 2020
    Weston M; Phan MAT; Arcot J; Chandrawati R, 2020, 'Anthocyanin-based sensors derived from food waste as an active use-by date indicator for milk', Food Chemistry, pp. 127017 - 127017, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127017
    Journal articles | 2019
    Phan MAT; Bucknall MP; Arcot J, 2019, 'Co-ingestion of red cabbage with cherry tomato enhances digestive bioaccessibility of anthocyanins but decreases carotenoid bioaccessibility after simulated in vitro gastro-intestinal digestion', Food Chemistry, 298, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125040
    Journal articles | 2019
    Phan MAT; Bucknall MP; Arcot J, 2019, 'Effects on intestinal cellular bioaccessibility of carotenoids and cellular biological activity as a consequence of co-ingestion of anthocyanin- and carotenoid-rich vegetables', Food Chemistry, 286, pp. 678 - 685, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.02.046
    Journal articles | 2019
    Phan MAT; Bucknall MP; Arcot J, 2019, 'Interferences of anthocyanins with the uptake of lycopene in Caco-2 cells, and their interactive effects on anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation in vitro and ex vivo', Food Chemistry, 276, pp. 402 - 409, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.10.012
    Journal articles | 2018
    Phan MAT; Bucknall M; Arcot J, 2018, 'Effect of different anthocyanidin glucosides on lutein uptake by Caco-2 cells, and their combined activities on anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation in vitro and ex vivo', Molecules, 23, pp. 2035, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules23082035
    Journal articles | 2018
    Phan MAT; Bucknall M; Arcot J, 2018, 'Interactive effects of β-carotene and anthocyanins on cellular uptake, antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and ex vivo', Journal of Functional Foods, 45, pp. 129 - 137, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2018.03.021
    Journal articles | 2018
    Phan MAT; Paterson J; Bucknall M; Arcot J, 2018, 'Interactions between phytochemicals from fruits and vegetables: Effects on bioactivities and bioavailability', Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 58, pp. 1310 - 1329, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2016.1254595
    Journal articles | 2013
    Phan MAT; Wang J; Tang J; Lee YZ; Ng K, 2013, 'Evaluation of α-glucosidase inhibition potential of some flavonoids fromEpimedium brevicornum', LWT, 53, pp. 492 - 498, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2013.04.002
  • Conference Abstracts | 2023
    Chung J; Chen Z; Phan M; Madigan M; Golebiowski B; Wallace G; Stapleton F; Kweon S, 2023, 'In Vitro Characterization of Immortalized Human Meibomian Gland Epithelial Cell Growth on Type I Collagen Gel.', in In Vitro Characterization of Immortalized Human Meibomian Gland Epithelial Cell Growth on Type I Collagen Gel., Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, presented at International Society for Eye Research, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, 19 February 2023 - 23 February 2023
    Conference Papers | 2023
    Golebiowski B; Boga A; Kweon S; Phan M; Desai R; Handelsman D; Madigan M; Stapleton F, 2023, 'Oestradiol and oestrone concentrations in tear fluid compared to serum in women during the follicular phase', Gold Coast, presented at XXV Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Eye Research, Gold Coast, 19 February 2023 - 23 February 2023
    Conference Papers | 2023
    Kweon S; Chung J; Chen Z; Phan M; Madigan M; Golebiowski B; Wallace G; Stapleton F, 2023, 'In Vitro Characterization of Immortalized Human Meibomian Gland Epithelial Cell Growth on Type I Collagen Gel.', in In Vitro Characterization of Immortalized Human Meibomian Gland Epithelial Cell Growth on Type I Collagen Gel., Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, presented at International Society for Eye Research, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, 19 February 2023 - 23 February 2023
    Conference Papers | 2023
    Phan M; Stapleton F; Madigan M; Desai R; Handelsman D; Golebiowski B, 2023, 'Oestradiol, testosterone and androstenedione detected in human meibomian gland epithelial cells using ultrasensitive UPLC-MS', Gold Coast, presented at XXV Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Eye Research, Gold Coast, 19 February 2023 - 23 February 2023
    Conference Papers | 2021
    Phan M; Madigan M; Stapleton F; Willcox M; Golebiowski B, 2021, 'Effects of DHT and Estradiol on rosiglitazone-induced lipid prodution in immortalised human meibomian gland epithelial cells.', in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, virtual, presented at ARVO, virtual, 01 May 2021 - 07 May 2021

  •  Australian Endeavour Postgraduate Scholarship, 2015-2019.
  •  UNSW Best Food Science Seminar, 2018.
  •  UNSW Postgraduate Research Support Scheme (PRSS) Award, 2017. 
  •  Australian Development Scholarship, 2010-2012.
  •  VLIR-UOS Fellowship, 2013.

Current research activities involve:

  •  Establishment of HMGEC cell culture condition
  •  Measurement of sex steroids from cultured HMGEC and human eyelid tissues using LC-MS/MS
  •  Identification and measurement of lipids produced by HMGEC 
  •  Transcriptome analysis of genes associated with lipid biosynthesis in HMGEC