IMNIS Mentee Nurul Aisha Zainal Abdin
Aisha is currently a 3rd year PhD student at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases (Monash University) working under the supervision of Assoc/Prof. Justin Hamilton and Dr. Warwick Nesbitt in the Platelets and Thrombosis Lab. Aisha’s project investigates a new blood clotting mechanism under perturbed blood flow conditions such as found in narrowing arteries or within mechanical circulatory support devices. Blood clots formed in these environments can be life threatening, but currently existing anti-clotting drugs have limited efficacy. Understanding and defining new clotting mechanisms under these conditions will provide insights into new therapeutic avenues for more effective treatments.
Previously, she completed her Masters of Biomedical Science at Monash University which gave her the opportunity to explore research interests amongst various scientific fields, apart from learning new technical skills. Through her Masters project and by working as a research assistant during the time, it was clear that her primary research interest was within the cardiovascular/haematology field. This led to her decision to pursue a PhD at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases to further develop her knowledge in the area. Since then, Aisha has developed an interest in pharmaceutical research and development of new therapeutics for human applications.
Aside from her PhD work, Aisha likes to be involved in activities that help to improve science communication skills, as she is a firm believer that communicating science effectively is as important as the scientific discovery. Aisha recently participated in the Pint of Science Festival as a project volunteer, where her team engaged with Australian researchers to use social media in communicating their work in images and videos. When she is not working, she enjoys playing the piano, watching films, and exploring new podcasts!