Overview
Dr. Zoe West, a Research Fellow at the Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer within UQ's Centre for Clinical Research, specialises in vulvar cancer. Her primary objective is to minimise surgical interventions and enhance patient outcomes. Dr. West employs state-of-the-art three-dimensional imaging in her research to gain deeper insights into the intricacies of vulvar cancer.
Research Interests
- Vulvar Cancer
- Gynaecological Cancers
-
3D imaging
iDISCO - DIPCO -
Tumour microenvironment
Immune-oncology - Cellular interactions -
Microscopy
Light sheet - Confocal - AI segmentation
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Cellular Immunology, Queensland University of Technology
Publications
-
Journal Article: Disrupted Cacna1c gene expression perturbs spontaneous Ca <sup>2+</sup> activity causing abnormal brain development and increased anxiety
Smedler, Erik, Louhivuori, Lauri, Romanov, Roman A., Masini, Débora, Dehnisch Ellström, Ivar, Wang, Chungliang, Caramia, Martino, West, Zoe, Zhang, Songbai, Rebellato, Paola, Malmersjö, Seth, Brusini, Irene, Kanatani, Shigeaki, Fisone, Gilberto, Harkany, Tibor and Uhlén, Per (2022). Disrupted Cacna1c gene expression perturbs spontaneous Ca 2+ activity causing abnormal brain development and increased anxiety. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119 (7) ARTN e2108768119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2108768119
-
Journal Article: The trans-SNARE complex VAMP4/Stx6/Stx7/Vti1b is a key regulator of Golgi to late endosome MT1-MMP transport in macrophages
West, Zoe Elizabeth, Aitcheson, Savannah Margaret, Semmler, Annalese Barbara Trudy and Murray, Rachael Zoe (2021). The trans-SNARE complex VAMP4/Stx6/Stx7/Vti1b is a key regulator of Golgi to late endosome MT1-MMP transport in macrophages. Traffic, 22 (11), 368-376. doi: 10.1111/tra.12813
-
Journal Article: Development and use of biomaterials as wound healing therapies
Murray, Rachael Zoe, West, Zoe Elizabeth, Cowin, Allison June and Farrugia, Brooke Louise (2019). Development and use of biomaterials as wound healing therapies. Burns & Trauma, 7, 1-9. doi: 10.1186/s41038-018-0139-7
Available Projects
-
Biomarkers in Gynaecological Cancer
Gynaecological cancers are the third most common cancer type diagnosed in Australian women. Each year over 6,700 Australian women and girls are diagnosed with gynaecological cancer and almost a third will not survive their disease.
We have a full-time PhD opportunity available at QCGC Research focusing on discovering and validating biomarkers that improve outcomes for women with gynaecological cancer. This project will involve working with clinical samples, conducting laboratory work, and analysing data.
The successful applicant will work as part of the QCGC Research team at UQCCR, as well as collaborate with researchers, clinicians, consumers, and stakeholders from other organisations, including hospitals, pathology providers and the community.
-
Improving Outcomes for women experiencing gynaecological cancer
Endometrial cancer originates from the inner layer of the uterus and is the fifth most common cancer in women. In Australia, the incidence is >3,000 cases per year and this is rising at a rate of 1% year on year, while globally over 400,000 patients are diagnosed annually. Current standard treatment requires surgical removal of the uterus, tubes, and ovaries (hysterectomy). Clinical management guidelines for early-stage endometrial cancer also prescribe lymph node dissection to determine (via histopathology) the extent of the disease, however, this may lead to treatment that is more extensive than necessary.
We are currently running a phase III randomised clinical trial exploring the risks and benefits of lymph node dissection in clinical stage I endometrial cancer. The primary outcome of the trial is to determine the probability of disease-free survival at 4 years.
This project focuses on assessing:
- Patient-reported outcome measures, including health-related quality of life and fear of cancer recurrence
- Perioperative outcomes, including intra- and postoperative adverse events
- Lower-limb lymphoedema
- Requirements for adjuvant treatment
- Biomarkers to improve outcomes for patients
Publications
Journal Article
-
Smedler, Erik, Louhivuori, Lauri, Romanov, Roman A., Masini, Débora, Dehnisch Ellström, Ivar, Wang, Chungliang, Caramia, Martino, West, Zoe, Zhang, Songbai, Rebellato, Paola, Malmersjö, Seth, Brusini, Irene, Kanatani, Shigeaki, Fisone, Gilberto, Harkany, Tibor and Uhlén, Per (2022). Disrupted Cacna1c gene expression perturbs spontaneous Ca 2+ activity causing abnormal brain development and increased anxiety. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119 (7) ARTN e2108768119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2108768119
-
West, Zoe Elizabeth, Aitcheson, Savannah Margaret, Semmler, Annalese Barbara Trudy and Murray, Rachael Zoe (2021). The trans-SNARE complex VAMP4/Stx6/Stx7/Vti1b is a key regulator of Golgi to late endosome MT1-MMP transport in macrophages. Traffic, 22 (11), 368-376. doi: 10.1111/tra.12813
-
Development and use of biomaterials as wound healing therapies
Murray, Rachael Zoe, West, Zoe Elizabeth, Cowin, Allison June and Farrugia, Brooke Louise (2019). Development and use of biomaterials as wound healing therapies. Burns & Trauma, 7, 1-9. doi: 10.1186/s41038-018-0139-7
-
Röhl, Joan, West, Zoe E., Rudolph, Maren, Zaharia, Andreea, Van Lonkhuyzen, Derek, Hickey, Danica K., Semmler, Annalese B. T. and Murray, Rachael Z. (2019). Invasion by activated macrophages requires delivery of nascent membrane-type-1 matrix metalloproteinase through late endosomes/lysosomes to the cell surface. Traffic, 20 (9) tra.12675, 661-673. doi: 10.1111/tra.12675
-
Macrophage phenotypes regulate scar formation and chronic wound healing
Hesketh, Mark, Sahin, Katherine B., West, Zoe E. and Murray, Rachael Z. (2017). Macrophage phenotypes regulate scar formation and chronic wound healing. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18 (7) 1545, 1-10. doi: 10.3390/ijms18071545
Possible Research Projects
Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.
-
Biomarkers in Gynaecological Cancer
Gynaecological cancers are the third most common cancer type diagnosed in Australian women. Each year over 6,700 Australian women and girls are diagnosed with gynaecological cancer and almost a third will not survive their disease.
We have a full-time PhD opportunity available at QCGC Research focusing on discovering and validating biomarkers that improve outcomes for women with gynaecological cancer. This project will involve working with clinical samples, conducting laboratory work, and analysing data.
The successful applicant will work as part of the QCGC Research team at UQCCR, as well as collaborate with researchers, clinicians, consumers, and stakeholders from other organisations, including hospitals, pathology providers and the community.
-
Improving Outcomes for women experiencing gynaecological cancer
Endometrial cancer originates from the inner layer of the uterus and is the fifth most common cancer in women. In Australia, the incidence is >3,000 cases per year and this is rising at a rate of 1% year on year, while globally over 400,000 patients are diagnosed annually. Current standard treatment requires surgical removal of the uterus, tubes, and ovaries (hysterectomy). Clinical management guidelines for early-stage endometrial cancer also prescribe lymph node dissection to determine (via histopathology) the extent of the disease, however, this may lead to treatment that is more extensive than necessary.
We are currently running a phase III randomised clinical trial exploring the risks and benefits of lymph node dissection in clinical stage I endometrial cancer. The primary outcome of the trial is to determine the probability of disease-free survival at 4 years.
This project focuses on assessing:
- Patient-reported outcome measures, including health-related quality of life and fear of cancer recurrence
- Perioperative outcomes, including intra- and postoperative adverse events
- Lower-limb lymphoedema
- Requirements for adjuvant treatment
- Biomarkers to improve outcomes for patients
