Yanie is a PhD candidate in the Molecular Metabolism and Ageing laboratory, supervised by A/Prof Brian Drew and Prof Julie McMullen. She completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree at Deakin University in 2019, majoring in Molecular Life Sciences. Subsequently, she completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Hons) at Monash University in 2020, where she investigated the role of a long non-coding RNA on skeletal muscle regeneration.

Yanie’s current PhD project focuses on exploring novel gene therapy approaches and molecular pathways to prevent the progression of heart failure. This involves utilising the CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) technology as a tool to investigate and validate new therapeutic targets, with a specific focus on long non-coding RNAs. Results from her study will provide insights into the application of CRISPRa to therapeutically modulate genes in the heart, potentially offering new avenues for the treatment of heart failure.