Dr Dezerae Cox

Group Leader

proteostasis · aggregation · proteomics · single-molecule super-resolution microscopy · python

Dr Cox is a Lecturer in Cell & Molecular Biology and Senior Research Fellow. After three years at the University of Cambridge as a Lady Edith Wolfson Junior Non-Clinical Research Fellow, Dezerae joined the University of Wollongong in 2024 where her research team, the NERVLAB, is now supported by the Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council to explore the role of endogenous retroviruses in human health and disease.

Stephanie Hedditch

Research Assistant

Stephanie Hedditch is a research assistant at NERVLAB, University of Wollongong, where she leads the development of a humanised, modular RNA-targeting system. She recently completed her Bachelor of Medical Biotechnology (Honours) as a Dean’s Scholar at the University of Wollongong, earning multiple academic recognitions for her outstanding achievements. Her research focuses on creating a stable cell system where researchers can easily swap effector proteins and guide RNAs to study or modify RNA within cells. Stephanie is passionate about advancing RNA engineering technologies and hopes her work will contribute to innovative therapeutic and research applications.

Nikkita Maxwell

Graduate Research Student (PhD)

Nikkita recently completed her honours project focused on the climate resilience of Fijian Lasioglossum bees. Her research employed proteomic approaches to identify key drivers of heat tolerance in these important pollinators. She successfully annotated proteins relevant to thermotolerance from the genome of these bees and characterised the molecular mechanisms of thermal stability across specialist species found at different elevations. Her findings bridge the gap between physiological heat resilience and the thermal stability of the bee proteome, contributing to a deeper understanding of how these species adapt to climate change. Nikkita will shortly commence her PhD candidature, focusing on understanding the cellular impact of HERV-targetting therapeutics.

Aquilina Kazzi

Graduate Research Student (PhD)

Aquilina Kazzi is a PhD candidate in the NERVLAB team, and her PhD focuses on characterising the cellular footprint of human endogenous retroviruses associated with Motor Neuron Disease. Aquilina completed a Bachelor of Medical Science specialising in biomedical science at the University of Western Sydney and went on to complete a Master of Medical biotechnology at the University of Wollongong where she completed a SCIP902 research project that focused on establishing ALFA-tagged expression model of HERV-K polyproteins. During this project she developed skills in mammalian cell culture, molecular cloning and protein purification.

Luke Bradbery

Graduate Research Student (Honours)

Luke is a fourth-year Bachelor of Science student majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Psychology at the University of Wollongong. He is currently completing his honours year with the NERVLAB team, engineering binders against human endogenous retrovirus K poly proteins via computational design and in vitro validation. His passion for medical and neurodegenerative research is deeply personal, shaped by experiencing first-hand the impact that dementia and other chronic illnesses can have on individuals and their families.

Breanna Tunstall

Graduate Research Student (Honours)

Breanna is an Honours student who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Pre-Medicine, majoring in Biomedical Research. She is undertaking a research project titled “Single Molecule Methods to Characterise Pathogenic SOD1 Protein Aggregates.” Her passion for science is driven by a deep fascination with the beauty and complexity of the biological micro-world, which also inspires her creative pursuits, where she often incorporates scientific themes into her artwork in her spare time.

Annaliese Cox

Alumni

Annaliese Cox completed an internship with the NERVLAB team, where she contributed to our fundamental research on endogenous retroviruses and their impact on human neurobiology. Annaliese completed her Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Science (Cell and Molecular Biology) in 2023 with Distinction. Annaliese's academic success has been recognised by her position on the Golden Key International Honours Society for being amongst the top 15% of students globally. Her project involves developing novel cell models to decouple the transcription and translation of endogenous retrovirus proteins and their mRNA. Motivated by a genuine curiosity for science and a desire to inspire future generations, Annaliese's internship journey is driven by her passion for bridging the gap between research and education. Annaliese recently completed her Master of Teaching (Secondary Science) and is confident her time with NERVLAB enriched her own personal lab experience, and will provide essential contect for her future STEM students.

Jay Hill

Alumni

Jay Hill was a Medical Biotechnology undergraduate student participating in his honours year under the supervision of Dr Dezerae Cox and Professor Heath Ecroyd in the NERVlab team. His project involved establishing an isolated expression model for endogenous Retroviral derived macromolecules and examining their interaction and involvement in TDP43 aggregation. Jay’s love for biology and the underlying interactions between macromolecules found within mammalian cells begun during his work as a research assistant and in an undergraduate research project involving the manufacturing of culture well gaskets.

Dylan Norris

Alumni

Dylan Norris joined the NERVLAB as a fourth-year undergraduate student undertaking his Honours research. Dylan led the development of a novel single-molecule assay for characterising protein aggregates of SOD1 derived from experimental model systems such as cells and mice. This assay will eventually allow us to profile aggregates from human samples, including from individuals living with motor neuron disease, to better understand their disease presentation, progression, and potentially prognosis.