CAUSAL GENES AND PATHOGENIC MECHANISMS UNDERLYING GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASES
Professor Mauro D’Amato
Professor of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine and Surgery,
LUM University in Casamassima, Italy &
Ikerbasque Research Professor and Head of the Gastrointestinal Genetics Lab
CIC bioGUNE, Derio, Spain
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed online | January 2025
Mauro D’Amato is Professor of Medical Genetics at the Department of Medicine and Surgery at LUM University in Casamassima – Italy, and Ikerbasque Research Professor and Head of the Gastrointestinal Genetics Lab in CIC bioGUNE, Derio – Spain. His career has developed through an important international trajectory, holding research and academic positions at several institutions including the Wellcome Trust Center for Human Genetics in Oxford – UK, the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm – Sweden, Biodonostia HRI in San Sebastian – Spain and Monash University in Melbourne – Australia.
Professor D’Amato has more than 25 years research experience in the field of human genetics and complex diseases, with activities most recently geared towards a translational application for therapeutic precision in gastroenterology. His team, the Gastrointestinal Genetics Laboratory, combine leading expertise in genomic, computational and pre-clinical research, and have contributed important breakthroughs linking specific genes and pathogenetic mechanisms to a number of gastrointestinal diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), microscopic colitis (MC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
He is also the coordinator of the bellygenes initiative on the genetics of IBS, and biobank-scale research from his lab contributes to multiple scientific consortia and collaborative networks studying the genetic makeup of millions of people across EU, USA and Australasia.
Professor D’Amato has an H-index of 74, has edited 2 books and published extensively in the field of human genetics and gastrointestinal disease; he provides expert feedback to international journals and research funding agencies, and has supervised more than 40 PhD students and postdocs.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2743-5197
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Digital Biomarkers and AI for Optimal Diagnosis, Treatment, and Decision-Making
Associate Professor Johan Verjans is a clinician-scientist with a strong focus on cross-disciplinary translational research. In his role as Deputy Director at the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML)—one of the world’s premier machine learning institutes, with over 200 researchers—and as Group Leader of Artificial Intelligence at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), he integrates his expertise in molecular medicine, clinical research, and advanced imaging with machine learning applications. This unique combination enables him to drive the translation of cutting-edge AI research into practical medical applications. He works with global teams from multinationals on AI problems.
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Novel immunotherapies in lymphoma
Dr Sean Harrop is a dual-trained haematologist having completed his clinical and laboratory haematology training at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital and St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. He is the current clinical haematology fellow (aggressive lymphoma) at Peter MacCallum and a PhD student in the Cancer Immunology Program in the Neeson Lab.
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Investigating invasive lobular carcinoma and metaplastic breast cancer sub-types
Assoc Prof McCart Reed is the scientific lead on an MRFF-funded (Medical Research Future Fund) genomics program investigating the potential for the application of Whole Genome Sequencing in the breast cancer care pathway in Australia, ‘Q-IMPROvE’. She applies genomics and spatial transcriptomics methodologies to archival clinical samples to understand the differences between tumour types and their potential for treatment. Amy is passionate about clinical research, biobanking and precision oncology. In addition to her breast cancer research portfolio, she is on the steering committee for the Brisbane Breast Bank and the Scientific Advisory Board for Breast Cancer Trials.
