SEMINAR: "A Systems approach for re-expressing cardiac (fetal) α -actin as a therapeutic strategy for treating skeletal muscle α -actin diseases". AND "Investigation of genetic causes of foetal akinesia and motor neuron disease�

Jordan Boutilier is a PhD student based at WAIMR. In 2005, he graduated from Oregon State University, Corvallis OR USA with a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) and a minor in Biochemistry. He subsequently pursued a career in the biotechnology industry and has contributed to programs focused on early stage and preclinical development of pharmaceuticals for treating various diseases including viruses, cancer, and muscular dystrophy. In 2010 he obtained an Endeavour Postgraduate Award to do a PhD in Dr. Nigel Laing’s lab where he is currently interested in mapping and identifying genes involved in modifying the severity of neuromuscular diseases. The talk he will present is an introductory seminar of his PhD project.

Emily Todd is a PhD student based at WAIMR. In 2008 Emily graduated from Murdoch University with a Bachelor of Science (Molecular biology majoring in biomedical science) and a Bachelor in Forensics. In 2009 she completed her honours degree with Karen Woodward finding foetal DNA in maternal plasma. She is currently in her first year of her PhD with Professor Nigel Laing and is focusing on the fields of foetal akinesia and motor neuron disease.