Biography
Simone Schoenwaelder is an Associate Professor (Research) at HRI and Charles Perkins Centre at The University of Sydney (NSW), Conjoint Associate Professor at The University of Sydney (Discipline of Physiology), honorary visiting scholar at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and past president and current secretary of the Australian Vascular Biology Society.
Born in Melbourne, Simone completed her undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in 1992, receiving first class honours at Monash University in Victoria. This was followed by doctoral studies at Monash University. Following the completion of her PhD in 1996, she spent several postdoctoral years at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (USA) as a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) CJ Martin Fellow in the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, in the laboratory of Professor Keith Burridge.
During her time in the USA, Simone was awarded ‘Young Australian of the Year in Science and Technology’ in her state of Victoria in 1997, and selected as a national finalist as ‘Young Australian of the Year for Science and Technology’. Upon completion of her postdoctoral studies in 1999, Simone returned to Australia as an NHMRC RD Wright and Monash University Logan Research Fellow, joining the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases.
In 2015, Simone relocated to her current position at HRI and The University of Sydney, NSW.
In her main role as Associate Professor within the Thrombosis research group at HRI, Simone's research focus is investigating the pathophysiology of platelets – blood clotting cells with a critical role in both haemostasis and thrombosis. A major part of this focus is to translate discoveries in order to develop innovative therapies for the treatment of atherothrombotic diseases including ischaemic stroke.
Current appointments
Associate Professor (Research)
Heart Research Institute and Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney
Adjunct Associate Professor
Monash University, Victoria
President
Australian Vascular Biology Society
Research interests
Simone’s overarching research aim focuses on advancement in our understanding of the role of platelets in arterial thrombosis, through fundamental discovery research. Specific areas of focus include delineating the role of cell death pathways in blood clot formation, and the discovery and ongoing investigation of a novel regulator of blood clot formation – PI 3-kinase p110b.
Her work continues to be published in high impact journals in the field, with 62 career publications (cumulative career h-index – 38; total citations – 5090), in journals including Nature Medicine, Nature Communications, Science Translational Medicine, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Blood, and Circulation.
She also has a keen interest in the translation of basic research findings from the lab, and in her part-time role as head of biology for Kinacia Pty Ltd., she co-invented a new class of PI3K inhibitors (1999–2004) and directed their development (Jackson, Schoenwaelder et al, Nature Medicine, 2005).
Prizes and awards
2015 ASMR MRW® XXIII NSW Scientific Meeting, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. Awarded best postdoctoral oral presentation.
2007 ASTH Scientific Medal
2003 International Young Investigator Award – XIX Congress of the ISTH, Birmingham, UK.
2001 International Investigator Award – XVIII Congress of the International Society on Haemostasis and Thrombosis (ISTH), Paris, France.
2001 Australian Society for Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ASTH) Scientific Medal – runner up (formerly the Ipsen Medal Award).
1999 National Finalist, Young Australian of the Year for 1999 – Eastern Energy Science and Technology Award.
1999 City of Whitehorse Young Citizen of the Year for 1999
1998 State winner (Victoria), Young Australian of the Year for 1999 – Eastern Energy Science and Technology Award.
1997 Victorian Premiers Award for Medical Research, Commendation
Competitive project grant funding
Simone has been successful in attracting project grant funding and research fellowships from national competitive funding bodies including NHMRC and NHF as well as other philanthropic sources including the CASS foundation, Rebecca Cooper Medical Research Foundation and the Bondi Lions Club.
Competitive fellowships
2001 – 2006 Monash University Logan Research Fellowship
2001 – 2004 NHMRC R Douglas Wright Training Fellowship
1997 – 2000 National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) C.J. Martin Fellowship
1997 NHF Overseas Research Fellowship (Awarded, but not accepted)
Project grants
2017 Rebecca L. Cooper Medical Research Foundation, SM Schoenwaelder and J Maclean
2017 Australian Red Cross Blood Service, PD17-01 – D Marks (ARCBS), L Johnson (ARCBS), SM Schoenwaelder (HRI) and R Darbousset (HRI)
2014 – 2016 NHMRC Project Grant APP1044214, SP Jackson (CIA), SM Schoenwaelder (CIB)
2013 – 2015 NHMRC Project Grant APP1044214, SM Schoenwaelder (CIA), SP Jackson (CIB)
2013 CASS Foundation, Ref. No.: SM/12/4382/DSA:DMA, A Horvath (CIA), SM Schoenwaelder (CIB)
2012 – 2014 NHMRC Project Grant: APP1023029, SM Schoenwaelder (CIA), Josefsson E (CIB)
2010 – 2012 NHMRC Project Grant: ID 606580, SP Jackson, SM Schoenwaelder (CIB)
2009 – 2011 NHMRC Project Grant: ID 545848, SM Schoenwaelder (CIA), HH Salem
2007 – 2008 NHF Grant-In-Aid: G 06M 2617, SM Schoenwaelder (CIA), HH Salem
2004 – 2005 NHF Grant-In-Aid: G 031M 1131, SM Schoenwaelder (CIA)
2002 – 2004 NHMRC Project Grant – New Investigator Grant: ID 194205, SM Schoenwaelder (CIA)
2002 – 2004 Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria Research Grant-in-Aid: SM Schoenwaelder (CIA) [Awarded but not accepted due to funding from NHMRC]
2002 – 2003 NHF Grant-In-Aid: G 01M 0330, SM Schoenwaelder (CIA)
2001 – 2002 NHF Grant-In-Aid: G 99M 0346; SM Schoenwaelder (CIA), HH Salem
Publications
Simone M Schoenwaelder, et al, and Shaun P. Jackson. 14-3-3z regulates the mitochondrial respiratory reserve linked to platelet phosphatidylserine exposure and procoagulant function *denotes equal first author. Nat Commun. 2016 Sep 27;7:12862. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12862. Open access link: http://rdcu.be/kI4q. (IF – 11.32)
Yuping Yuan*, Imala Alwis*, Mike C.L. Wu*, Zane Kaplan, Katrina Ashworth, David Bark Jr, Alan Pham, James Mcfadyen, Simone M. Schoenwaelder, Emma C. Josefsson, Benjamin T. Kile and Shaun P. Jackson. Neutrophil macro-aggregates promote widespread pulmonary thrombosis following gut ischemia, Sci. Trans. Med, 2017 Sep 27;9(409). pii: eaam5861. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aam5861.
Andre L Samson, Imala Alwis, Pramith Priyananda, Brian Hawkett, Shaun P Jackson* and Simone M Schoenwaelder* (*Equal senior authors). Endogenous fibrinolysis facilitates clot retraction in vivo. Blood 2017, Dec 7;130(23):2453-2462. doi: 10.1182/blood-2017-06-789032. Epub 2017 Oct 26. Selected as a Plenary Paper