Dr Monique Bax

Dr Monique Bax

Conjoint Lecturer

2014 - 2019     Doctor of Philosophy (Science) at the University of Wollongong, NSW, Conferred November 2019

2009 - 2013     Bachelor of Medical Biotechnology Honours (First Class) from the University of Wollongong, NSW

Medicine & Health
School of Biomedical Sciences

Monique Bax is a Senior Post Doctoral Scientist at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney. Dr Bax researches the major cause of myocardial infarcts in women under 50 (known as Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissections, or 'SCAD'). She generates induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients’ blood cells. Using these stem cells, Dr Bax differentiates arterial cells in both 2D and 3D cultures, and uses proteomics, and other molecular techniques to study the biochemical pathways, to identify drug targets to prevent SCAD recurrence. She is passionate about the vascular extracellular matrix, and understanding the role of diversity in sex, age, and ethnicity, in molecular biology.

Dr Bax has previously worked in neurodegenerative research, using iPSCs-derived neurons to understand the role of the ubiquitin proteasome system in motor neurone disease, and neuronal development. She was awarded her PhD in this field in November 2019, under the supervision of Prof Lezanne Ooi, and the late Prof Justin Yerbury, from the University of Wollongong.

Dr Bax is a current member of the CVMM EMCR Committee at UNSW, and serves as Secretary for the St Vincent's Research Precinct Post Doctoral Development Committee. She is a member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), the Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR), the NSW Cardiovascular Research Network, and the Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand. She was named an AMP Tomorrowmaker (2020), and has been successful in securing multiple competitive grants to undertake her research. She frequently engages in public outreach for STEM education, and is open to mentoring students who are passionate about research.

Honours and PhD Student positions are currently available for late 2024, or 2025.

Location
Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Lowy Packer Building, Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst
  • Journal articles | 2023
    Bax M; Junday K; Iismaa SE; Kaidonis X; Muller D; Hesselson S; Graham RM, 2023, 'Generation of induced pluripotent stem cell lines from a sister pair who suffered post-partum or recurrent Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissections', Stem Cell Research, 73, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scr.2023.103238
    Journal articles | 2023
    Bax M; Thorpe J; Romanov V, 2023, 'The future of personalized cardiovascular medicine demands 3D and 4D printing, stem cells, and artificial intelligence', Frontiers in Sensors, 4, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fsens.2023.1294721
    Journal articles | 2023
    Farrawell NE; Bax M; Mcalary L; Mckenna J; Maksour S; Do-Ha D; Rayner SL; Blair IP; Chung RS; Yerbury JJ; Ooi L; Saunders DN, 2023, 'ALS-linked CCNF variant disrupts motor neuron ubiquitin homeostasis', Human Molecular Genetics, 32, pp. 2386 - 2398, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddad063
    Journal articles | 2023
    Neavin DR; Steinmann AM; Farbehi N; Chiu HS; Daniszewski MS; Arora H; Bermudez Y; Moutinho C; Chan CL; Bax M; Tyebally M; Gnanasambandapillai V; Lam CE; Nguyen U; Hernández D; Lidgerwood GE; Graham RM; Hewitt AW; Pébay A; Palpant NJ; Powell JE, 2023, 'A village in a dish model system for population-scale hiPSC studies', Nature Communications, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38704-1
    Journal articles | 2022
    Bax M; Romanov V; Junday K; Giannoulatou E; Martinac B; Kovacic JC; Liu R; Iismaa SE; Graham RM, 2022, 'Arterial dissections: Common features and new perspectives', Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.1055862
    Journal articles | 2022
    Tarr I; Hesselson S; Iismaa SE; Rath E; Monger S; Troup M; Mishra K; Wong CMY; Hsu PC; Junday K; Humphreys DT; Adlam D; Webb TR; Baranowska-Clarke AA; Hamby SE; Carss KJ; Samani NJ; Bax M; McGrath-Cadell L; Kovacic JC; Dunwoodie SL; Fatkin D; Muller DWM; Graham RM; Giannoulatou E, 2022, 'Exploring the Genetic Architecture of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Using Whole-Genome Sequencing', Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, 15, pp. 267 - 277, http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIRCGEN.121.003527
    Journal articles | 2020
    Balez R; Berg T; Bax M; Muñoz SS; Cabral-da-Silva MC; Engel M; Do-Ha D; Stevens CH; Rowe D; Yang S; Blair IP; Ooi L, 2020, 'The mRNA-based reprogramming of fibroblasts from a SOD1E101G familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient to induced pluripotent stem cell line UOWi007', Stem Cell Research, 42, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scr.2020.101701
    Journal articles | 2019
    Bax M; Balez R; Muñoz SS; Do-Ha D; Stevens CH; Berg T; Cabral-da-Silva MC; Engel M; Nicholson G; Yang S; Blair IP; Ooi L, 2019, 'Generation and characterization of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line UOWi005-A from dermal fibroblasts derived from a CCNFS621G familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient using mRNA reprogramming', Stem Cell Research, 40, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scr.2019.101530
    Journal articles | 2019
    Bax M; McKenna J; Do-Ha D; Stevens CH; Higginbottom S; Balez R; Cabral-Da-silva MEC; Farrawell NE; Engel M; Poronnik P; Yerbury JJ; Saunders DN; Ooi L, 2019, 'The ubiquitin proteasome system is a key regulator of pluripotent stem cell survival and motor neuron differentiation', Cells, 8, pp. 581, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells8060581
    Journal articles | 2018
    Engel M; Balez R; Muñoz SS; Cabral-da-Silva MC; Stevens CH; Bax M; Do-Ha D; Sidhu K; Sachdev P; Ooi L, 2018, 'Viral-free generation and characterization of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line from dermal fibroblasts', Stem Cell Research, 32, pp. 135 - 138, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scr.2018.09.014
    Journal articles | 2018
    Muñoz SS; Balez R; Castro Cabral-da-Silva ME; Berg T; Engel M; Bax M; Do-Ha D; Stevens CH; Greenough M; Bush A; Ooi L, 2018, 'Generation and characterization of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines from a familial Alzheimer's disease PSEN1 A246E patient and a non-demented family member bearing wild-type PSEN1', Stem Cell Research, 31, pp. 227 - 230, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scr.2018.08.006
    Journal articles | 2015
    Yang S; Zhang KY; Kariawasam R; Bax M; Fifita JA; Ooi L; Yerbury JJ; Nicholson GA; Blair IP, 2015, 'Evaluation of Skin Fibroblasts from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients for the Rapid Study of Pathological Features', Neurotoxicity Research, 28, pp. 138 - 146, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12640-015-9532-1
    Journal articles | 2015
    Zeineddine R; Pundavela JF; Corcoran L; Stewart EM; Do-Ha D; Bax M; Guillemin G; Vine KL; Hatters DM; Ecroyd H; Dobson CM; Turner BJ; Ooi L; Wilson MR; Cashman NR; Yerbury JJ, 2015, 'SOD1 protein aggregates stimulate macropinocytosis in neurons to facilitate their propagation', Molecular Neurodegeneration, 10, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13024-015-0053-4
  • Conference Papers | 2017
    Bax M; Do-Ha D; Yang S; Blair I; Yerbury J; Ooi L, 2017, 'Ubiquitin proteasome system dysfunction in ALS patient IPSC-derived motor neurons', in JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, WILEY, FRANCE, Paris, pp. 214 - 214, presented at ISN-ESN Meeting, FRANCE, Paris, 20 August 2017 - 24 August 2017, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000407425300515&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
    Conference Papers | 2015
    Bax M, 2015, 'Quantitating phosphatidylcholine species changes during differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into neurons', in JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, pp. 177 - 177, presented at 25th Biennial Meeting of the International-Society-for-Neurochemistry Jointly with the 13th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific-Society-for-Neurochemistry in Conjunction with the 35th Meeting of the Australasian-Neuroscience-Society, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, 23 August 2015 - 27 August 2015, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000360206300421&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
    Conference Papers | 2015
    Ooi L; Do-Ha D; Bax M, 2015, 'Deficits in the ubiquitin proteasome system and increased pro-inflammatory signalling in an iPSC model of ALS', in JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, WILEY-BLACKWELL, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, pp. 342 - 342, presented at 25th Biennial Meeting of the International-Society-for-Neurochemistry Jointly with the 13th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific-Society-for-Neurochemistry in Conjunction with the 35th Meeting of the Australasian-Neuroscience-Society, AUSTRALIA, Cairns, 23 August 2015 - 27 August 2015, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000360206300878&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

2024 - CIA Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Outstanding EMCR Grant ($40,000)

2023 - CVMM EMCR Conference Award 2023 ($2,000)

2023 - Grant-in-aid to attend Falling Walls Lab Australia 2023

2023 - Applied Medical Research Equipment Grant ($15,000)

2023 - CIB Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Outstanding EMCR Grant ($40,000)

2022 - CVRN Professional Development Award ($2,000)

2022 - Applied Medical Research Equipment Grant ($15,000)

2021 - CVRN Professional Development Award ($2,000)

2020 - AMP Tomorrow Maker Grant ($22,600)

2014 - Rotary Group Motor Neuron Disease Research PhD Scholarship ($101,500)

 

2023 - Winner Best Post-Doctoral Paul Korner Post Doctoral Seminar, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute

2023 - Highly Commended Presentation St Vincent’s Precinct Post-Doctoral Conference 2023

2021 & 2022 - CVRN Professional Development Award

2021 - Winner Best Flash Talk, Sydney Cardiovascular Symposium 2021

2021 - Winner Best Presentation St Vincent’s Precinct Post-Doctoral Conference 2021

2020 & 2021 Best Science Image Award for Art of the Heart Competition

My Research Supervision

Keerat Junday (PhD Student)

Arnica Tomasovich Sturgeon (Honours)

Emily Hurley (University of Notre Dame, Medicine Program Research Project)