Prince Henry’s Institute

 

Ashwini Chand

 

Profile

Dr Ashwini Chand holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in biochemistry from the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Her PhD research was conducted at the University of Auckland which she completed in 2006. She is a Senior Research Officer in the Cancer Drug Discovery Laboratory and currently holds the US Department of Defense CDMRP Breast Cancer Postdoctoral Fellowship.

 

Research Interests

Dr Chand's research interests are focused on studying breast cancer. In particular Ashwini is studying the actions of an orphan nuclear receptor NR5A2 in breast cancer and whether NR5A2 antagonists can be used as an anti- breast cancer therapy. Her recent work has led to the identification that NR5A2 promotes breast cancer migration and invasion. She has also demonstrated that there is increased aromatase expression in the breast tissue of women who carry the BRCA1 mutation.

 

Expertise

biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology

 

Current Research

• Nuclear receptor pharmacology

 

Recent Achievements

2010- 2013 – CDMRP Department of Defense Breast Cancer Postdoctoral Fellowship

2009 - Victorian Cancer Agency, Early Career Seed Grant

2008 - Burroughs Wellcome Scholarship, Frontiers in Reproduction Course, USA

 

Selected Publications

Chand, A.L., Herridge, K.A., Thompson, E.W., Clyne, C.D. (2010) The orphan nuclear receptor LRH-1 promotes breast cancer motility and invasion. Endocrine Related Cancer; Oct 29;17(4):965-75, doi:10.1677/ERC-10-0179.

Chand, A.L., Harrison, C.A., Shelling, A.N. (2010) Inhibin and Premature Ovarian Failure, Human Reproduction Update, Jan-Feb; 16(1):39-50.

Chand, A.L., kConFab, Simpson, E.R., Clyne, C.D. (2009) Aromatase expression is increased in BRCA1 mutation carriers. BMC Cancer; May 16; 9:148.

Chand, A.L., Ooi, G.T., Fayad, K., Shelling, A.N., Robertson, D.M. (2007) Functional characterisation of the human inhibin A257T mutation and its potential role in premature ovarian failure. Human Reproduction Dec; 22(12):3241-8.

Chand, A.L., Murray, A.S., Jones, R.L., Hannan, N.J., Salamonsen, L.A., Rombauts., R. (2007) Laser capture microdissection and cDNA array analysis of endometrium identify CCL16 and CCL21 as epithelial-derived inflammatory mediators associated with endometriosis. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 5(18).

Chand, A.L., Robertson, D.M., Shelling, A.N., and Harrison, C.A. (2007) Mutational analysis of Betaglycan / TGFβRIII in Premature Ovarian Failure, Fertil Steril. 87(1):210-2.

Chand, A.L., Ponnampalam, A., Harris, S.E., Winship, I.M. and Shelling, A.N. (2006) Mutational analysis of BMP15 and GDF9 as candidate genes for Premature Ovarian Failure, Fertility and Sterility 86(4):1009-12