Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
My career to date is focused on medical research and education in the tertiary sector, developing and managing ongoing relationships with different stakeholders between academia, industry and the community to foster opportunities for exchange.
I obtained my B.Sc (Molecular Biotechnology)(2004, Usyd) and M.Biotech(Hons I)/Business(2006, MQU) under the supervision of Dr. Amit Kapur and Dr. Mark Molloy. During this period, I worked in the private sector at Australian Laboratory Services (ALS) and Laverty Pathology (formerly Mayne Health) which brought various experiences to hone my career. I was awarded an Australian Postgraduate Award Industry (APAI) linking up with GE Healthcare, and earned my Ph.D (2011, MQU) under the supervision of Prof. Nicki Packer and Prof. Mark Baker characterising the proteome effects of colorectal cancer and cachexia and the inflammatory effects on the liver membrane glycoproteome.
I moved abroad to the US and worked briefly as a Proteomics scientific officer at New York University, School of Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Tom Neubert (Jul 2010-Jun 2011) performing analysis for clients and collaborators in the Protein Analysis Facility. I was awarded a NIH Heart, Lung, Blood Institute (NHLBI) 3-year glycocardio postdoctoral fellowship under the Program Excellence in Glycosciences initiative, and undertook my postdoctoral training (Jun 2011 - Nov 2013) under the supervision of A/Prof Natasha Zachara in the Department of Biological Chemistry at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, to characterise the role of intracellular glycosylation O-GlcNAc in cardioprotection and survival.
In March 2014, I was recruited back to MQU by Prof Mark Molloy and Prof Roger Chung to develop an independent research program to bridge the infrastructure capabilities at the Australian Proteome Analysis Facility (APAF) and the clinical and medical research in the MQU Centre for MND Research and clinic. I am group leader that heads the Neuroproteomics Research group that is propelled by 3 postdocs, 2 RAs and 2 PhD students.
Teaching
My philosophy to education is to inspire students to drive change and their own personal growth. Every student has their own unique and valuable life experiences and my goal is to adapt my techniques to ensure each student achieves a better understanding of scientific and medical research to achieve positive outcomes. I aim to provide and mentor students with a set of tools and principles that allow them to critically think and analyse complex issues to become students and contributors for the community.
I am the co-director of education in the Macquarie Medical School. I am a unit convenor for a third-year biochemistry and cell biology subject MEDI3200 - Translational Biology and Genomics (formerly known as MEDI304 - Advanced Clinical Science [2016-2019]) which is a compulsory unit in the Bachelor of Clinical Science degree. This subject is designed to bring together concepts in cell biology to highlight the importance of basic sciences to translational research and medicine.
Research interests
I currently lead the Neuroproteomics research program within the Centre for MND research. I am responsible for developing and driving research projects within the proteomics program as part of the NHMRC Dementia Teams Grant that is focused on MND, FTD and proteostasis dysfunction. My research interests focus on understanding the mechanisms of cellular survival upon stress, and its role in biological processes that manifest into human diseases such as neurological disorders. My research uses proteomics to characterise post-translational modifications (including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and glycosylation) to understand their role in cellular processes. We perform high-throughput and unbiased analyses to capture a snapshot of a cellular or disease state, and this is becoming more widespread and important when trying to understand the biology of a particular model. Our Neuroproteomics program enables us to understand holistically the dynamic changes that occur during stress and survival to further develop hypotheses and provide depth in knowledge.
Research student supervision
Accepting HDR students
Student | Period | Degree | University/Institute |
Flora Cheng | 2023-current | PhD | Macquarie University |
Tyler Chapman | 2023-current | PhD | Macquarie University |
Selina Zhang |
2022-2023, 2024-current | MRes 2, PhD | Macquarie University |
Paulina Szwaja | 2021-current | PhD | Macquarie University |
Hannah Suddull | 2019-2023 | PhD | Macquarie University |
Sharlynn Wu | 2018 | MRes 2 | Macquarie University |
Jennilee Davidson | 2017-2021 | PhD | Macquarie University |
Shabarni Gupta | 2017-2021 | PhD | Macquarie University |
Marta Vidal | 2016-2019 | PhD | Macquarie University |
Maria Villalva | 2017-2018 | MRes 2 | Macquarie University |
Owen Watson | S1, 2017 | MRes 1 rotation | Macquarie University |
Thomas Hedl | 2017, 2019-2025 | MRes 2, PhD | Macquarie University, Queensland Brain Institute |
Shila Shahbazian | 2014-2018 | PhD | Macquarie University |
Serene Sze-Ling Gwee | 2013-2017 | PhD | Macquarie University |
Stephanie Rayner | 2014, 2015-2019 | MRes 2, PhD | Macquarie University |
Jennifer Groves | 2011-2017 | PhD | Johns Hopkins University |
Chloe Ferris | 2013 | B.S (Rotation) | Johns Hopkins University |
Devin Miller | 2012-2013 | MD | Johns Hopkins University |
Roger Henry | 2012-2013 | Masters of Science | Johns Hopkins University |
Education/Academic qualification
Fellow of Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Higher Education Academy
Award Date: 8 Jan 2020
Doctor of Philosophy
4 Sept 2006 → 22 Sept 2010
Award Date: 22 Sept 2011
Master of Biotechnology(Hons I)/Business
1 Mar 2005 → 30 Jun 2006
Award Date: 14 Sept 2006
Bachelor of Science, University of Sydney
1 Mar 2002 → 15 Dec 2004
Award Date: 15 Dec 2004
External positions
NIH Heart Lung Blood Institute (NHLBI) Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
1 Jul 2011 → 1 Nov 2013
Scientific Technician, New York University School of Medicine
1 Jul 2010 → 1 Jun 2011
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
Development of ALS gene therapies for targeted protein degradation of TDP-43
Lee, A., Morsch, M., Rayner, S. & Chung, R.
1/09/24 → 31/08/26
Project: Research
-
MNDRA24: Investigating the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) membrane proteome in MND pathogenesis and clinical application
Wang, Y., Yang, S., Lee, A., Fath, T. & Ooi, L.
24/06/24 → 23/06/25
Project: Research
-
IDEAS 23: Developing novel gene expression control mechanisms for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis gene therapies
Chung, R., Williams, K. & Lee, A.
1/05/24 → 30/04/27
Project: Research
-
Cardio-metabolic and cytoskeletal proteomic signatures differentiate stress hypersensitivity in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice
Major, G. S., Herbold, C. W., Cheng, F., Lee, A., Zhuang, S., Russell, A. P. & Lindsay, A., 20 Feb 2025, In: Journal of Proteomics. 312, p. 1-11 11 p., 105371.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
FTO suppresses DNA repair by inhibiting PARP1
Zhu, T., Tan, J. Z. A., Zhang, L., Huang, H., Das, S. S., Cheng, F., Padmanabhan, P., Jones, M. J. K., Lee, M., Lee, A., Widagdo, J. & Anggono, V., 25 Mar 2025, In: Nature Communications. 16, 1, p. 1-16 16 p., 2925.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile7 Downloads (Pure) -
A transient protein folding response targets aggregation in the early phase of TDP-43-mediated neurodegeneration
Gil, R. S., Pascovici, D., Venturato, J., Brown-Wright, H., Mehta, P., Martin, L. M. S., Wu, J., Luan, W., Chui, Y. K., Bademosi, A. T., Swaminathan, S., Naidoo, S., Berning, B. A., Wright, A. L., Keating, S. S., Curtis, M., Faull, R. L. M., Lee, J. D., Ngo, S. T., Lee, A., & 6 others , 19 Feb 2024, In: Nature Communications. 15, 1, p. 1-23 23 p., 1508.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile8 Citations (Scopus)67 Downloads (Pure) -
Cyclin F, Neurodegeneration, and the Pathogenesis of ALS/FTD
Rayner, S. L., Hogan, A., Davidson, J. M., Cheng, F., Luu, L., Morsch, M., Blair, I., Chung, R. & Lee, A., Apr 2024, In: Neuroscientist. 30, 2, p. 214-228 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
4 Citations (Scopus) -
Cyclin F can alter the turnover of TDP-43
Rayner, S. L., Hogan, A., Davidson, J. M., Chapman, T., Cheng, F., Luu, L., Wu, S., Zhang, S., Yang, S., Blair, I., Morsch, M., Chung, R. & Lee, A., Mar 2024, In: Neurobiology of Disease. 192, p. 1-10 10 p., 106421.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile86 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
-
2020 Department of Biomedical Science Higher Degree Research (HDR) Supervisor award
Lee, Albert (Recipient), 11 Dec 2020
Prize: Teaching award
-
2021 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Science Teaching Excellence Award
Lee, Albert (Recipient), 2022
Prize: Teaching award
-
2021 Macquarie Medical School Emerging Leadership in Education
Lee, Albert (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Teaching award
-
American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Postdoctoral Travel Award
Lee, Albert (Recipient), 2013
Prize
-
Activities
-
Communications Biology (Journal)
Albert Lee (Editor)
14 Sept 2022 → …Activity: Peer-review and editorial of research outputs › Editorial work
-
ARC Discovery Project and Future Fellowships reviewer
Albert Lee (Participant)
2021 → …Activity: Other
-
W. W. Norton & Company (Publisher)
Albert Lee (Reviewer)
2021 → …Activity: Peer-review and editorial of research outputs › Editorial work
-
Macquarie University Open Day
Cara Hildreth (Participant), Mark Butlin (Participant), Esther Lim (Participant), Marina Junqueira Santiago (Participant), Albert Lee (Participant) & David Lovejoy (Participant)
14 Aug 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participating in a conference, workshop or event series
-
PeerJ (Journal)
Albert Lee (Reviewer)
1 Jan 2020Activity: Peer-review and editorial of research outputs › Publication Peer-review
Press/Media
-
Being active could be linked to risk of motor neuron disease
24/04/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
-
The future of sport may well be at stake if this doping problem is not solved once and for all
20/12/17
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
-
World 100m champion Justin Gatlin embroiled in new doping scandal
19/12/17
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
-
How 'designer' steroids aim to beat anti-doping tests
18/12/17
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
-
New method offers alternative way to detect the abuse of human growth hormone, potentially making future anti-doping testing more sensitive
31/08/17
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research