Kathryn Stowell's Lab

Translational medical research

Current Team

Robyn Marston Robyn is a long-standing member of the lab and is the designated laboratory manager and carries out the DNA-based testing for susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia. In her spare time Robyn works on malignant hyperthermia research.

Lili Rhodes Lili who has been a research technician in the lab since 2005, is currently on maternity leave after the birth of her child Aston Kere Piripi Rhodes. Lili worked on the molecular genetic analysis of malignant hyperthermia and is the accreditation administrator for the lab.

Miranda Aalderink After completing her MSc in Biochemistry in March 2008, Miranda has worked as a research assistant on the molecular basis of drug sensitivity in melanoma and glioma.

Hilbert Greivink Hilbert came to the lab in 2004 as an intern student from the Netherlands.  He came back in 2006 as a PhD student working on Malignant hyperthermia.

Natisha Magan Natisha has had a long association with the lab first as an MSc student in Biochemistry, then as a research assistant working on the functional analysis of mutations that cause Malignant hyperthermia.  She is now in the final year of her PhD working on the transcriptional regulation of human topoisomerase IIα.

Keisaku Sato Kei came to the lab from Japan and completed his MSc in Biochemistry in 2002.  He then continued as a research assistant before starting a PhD in 2005.  Kei has worked on several different aspects of the Malignant hyperthermia research project from a complex genetic analysis to the cloning, expression, mutagenesis and functional analysis of human ryanodine receptor cDNA.

Amanda Gribble Amanda is in the first year of her MSc working on the regulation of expression of human ADP-GK at both transcriptional and post transcriptional levels.

Rebecca Hole Rebecca is in the final year of her MSc in Biochemistry and works on the cloning, expression and kinetic characterization of recombinant human ADP-GK, a novel glycolytic enzyme with putative roles in cancer and heart disease. This research project is in collaboration with Ron Ronimus at AgResearch.

William Rutherford Will is in the first year of his MSc and is also working on the molecular basis of drug sensitivity in melanoma and glioma. This research project is in collaboration with Professor Bruce Baguley of the Auckland Cancer Research Center.

Alexandra Schulz Alex is the newest member of lab having arrived from Germany in July 2008. Alex has just started a masterate research project on Malignant hyperthermia. This involves a genetic analysis of a large New Zealand family susceptible to Malignant hyperthermia as well as a functional study of mutations in the human ryanodine receptor.

Recent Members

Claudia Frei Claudia (#1) came to the lab in the middle of 2007 from Germany on a three month working holiday. She divided her time between working on the molecular basis of drug sensitivity in melanoma and seeing the most of New Zealand that could. This included some epic long weekend adventures. Claudia is now doing a PhD in Zurich.

Claudia Schwenne Claudia (#2) also came to lab from Germany to take the place of Claudia #1 for a six month internship. While in the lab, Claudia joined the Malignant hyperthermia team. She has now returned to Germany to complete her masterate.

Kate Silverwood Kate worked off and on in the lab as a casual research assistant in the last two years of her BSc in Biochemistry and Genetics, finishing up as a summer student funded by a PNMRF scholarship. During this time, Kate worked on Maligant hyperthermia and the molecular basis of drug sensitivity in melanoma. Kate is now a medical student in Adelaide.