Bit about me

I am a Genetic Counsellor and PhD candidate at the University of Queensland. I was born in Ontario, Canada, and came to Australia in 2017 after completing my BSc and honours thesis (in genetics) at the University of Western Ontario. From 2019-2020, I completed my MSc (genetic counselling) at the University of Technology Sydney. I then commenced my PhD with the Integrating Genomics into Medicine group at the University of Queensland in January 2021, focusing on translating polygenic scores into the clinical melanoma setting.

Awards & Recognition

• Jain Zhou Travel Award 2022 ($2500 to support attendance of European Society of Human Genetics conference)

• Runner-up best presentation 2022 ($50 University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine Symposium)

• New Investigator Award 2022 ($500 for best presentation at the Human Genetics Society of Australasia conference)

• Human Genetics Society of Australasia 2022 (HGSA) QLD branch Scholarship ($600 for HGSA conference attendance

• Australasian Society of Genetic Counsellors International Travel Grant 2022 ($2500 to attend European Human Genetics Conference)

• Publication of the month award 2021 ($200 University of Queensland best publication)

• People’s choice award 2021 ($100 for best presentation at Australasian Skin and Skin Cancer Annual Scientific meeting)

• Best Presentation & People’s Choice award 2021 ($650 & $150 for presentation at the University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine Research Innovation Week Presentations)

• Australasian Society of Genetic Counsellors Travel Grant 2021 ($600 travel grant – declined due to COVID-19)

• Trakgene Education Scholarship Student Award ($1000 – for registration for the HGSA conference 2021)

Selected Publications

(see ORCiD for all publications: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6529-7528) 

1. Wallingford, Courtney K., Demeshko, Anastassia, Krishnakripa, Asha Krishnankutty, Smit, Darren J., Duffy, David L., Betz-Stablein, Brigid, Pflugfelder, Annette, Jagirdar, Kasturee, Holland, Elizabeth, Mann, Graham J., Primiero, Clare A., Yanes, Tatiane, Malvehy, Josep, Badenas, Cèlia, Carrera, Cristina, Aguilera, Paula, Olsen, Catherine M., Ward, Sarah V., Haass, Nikolas K., Sturm, Richard A., Puig, Susanna, Whiteman, David C., Law, Matthew H., Cust, Anne E., Potrony, Miriam, Soyer, H. Peter, and McInerney-Leo, Aideen M. (2023). The MC1R r allele does not increase melanoma risk in MITF E318K carriers. British Journal of Dermatology 188 (6) 770-776. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjd/ljad041 

2. Withers, Chelsea M., Fleming, Jane, Wallingford, Courtney K., Gabbett, Michael T., Peterson, Madelyn, Humphreys, Linda, and McInerney-Leo, Aideen (2020). Waiting for a diagnosis in Rubinstein–Taybi: The journey from “ignorance is bliss” to the value of “a label”. American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part A 185 (1) ajmg.a.61920 105-111. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.a.61920

3. Wallingford, Courtney K., Maas, Ellie J., Howard, Antonia, DeBortoli, Emily, Bhanja, Deboshmita, Lee, Katie, Mothershaw, Adam, Jagirdar, Kasturee, Willett, Rod, Betz‐Stablein, Brigid, Sturm, Richard A., Soyer, H. Peter, and McInerney‐Leo, Aideen M. (2023). MITF E318K: A rare homozygous case with multiple primary melanoma. Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research 37 (1) 68-73. https://doi.org/10.1111/pcmr.13122

4. Wallingford, Courtney K., Kovilpillai, Hannah, Jacobs, Chris, Turbitt, Erin, Primiero, Clare A., Young, Mary-Anne, Brockman, Deanna G., Soyer, H. Peter, McInerney-Leo, Aideen M., and Yanes, Tatiane (2022). Models of communication for polygenic scores and associated psychosocial and behavioral effects on recipients: a systematic review. Genetics in Medicine 25 (1) 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gim.2022.09.008

5. DeBortoli, Emily, Soyer, H. Peter, Milne, David, Dissanayaka, Nadeeka, Gartner, Coral, Holt, Jeanette, Rae, Kym, Robison, Laura, Wallingford, Courtney K., and McInerney-Leo, Aideen M. (2022). Measurable outcomes of consumer engagement in health research: A scoping review. Frontiers in Public Health 10 994547 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.994547

6. Pysar, Ryan, Wallingford, Courtney K., Boyle, Jackie, Campbell, Scott B., Eckstein, Lisa, McWhirter, Rebekah, Terrill, Bronwyn, Jacobs, Chris, and McInerney-Leo, Aideen M. (2021). Australian human research ethics committee members’ confidence in reviewing genomic research applications. European Journal of Human Genetics 29 (12) 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41431-021-00951-5

7. Wallingford, Courtney K., Cutler, Katrina, Istiko, Satrio Nindyo, Fowles, Lindsay F., Lamb, Rachel, Bean, Jessica, Healy, Louise, Hondow, Gary, Pratt, Gregory, Vidgen, Miranda E., Waddell, Nicola, Evans, Erin, Bunker, David, and McInerney-Leo, Aideen M. (2020). Queensland consumers' awareness and understanding of clinical genetics services. Frontiers in Genetics 11 537743 537743. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.537743

8. Maas, Ellie J., Wallingford, Courtney K., DeBortoli, Emily, Smit, Darren J., Betz-Stablein, Brigid, Aoude, Lauren G., Stark, Mitchell S., Sturm, Richard A., Soyer, H. Peter, and McInerney-Leo, Aideen M. (2023). GOLM1: expanding our understanding of melanoma susceptibility. Journal of Medical Genetics 60 (9) jmg-2023-109348 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1136/jmg-2023-109348

9. Primiero, Clare A., Baker, Amy M., Wallingford, Courtney K., Maas, Ellie J., Yanes, Tatiane, Fowles, Lindsay, Janda, Monika, Young, Mary-Anne, Nisselle, Amy, Terrill, Bronwyn, Lodge, Jason M., Tiller, Jane M., Lacaze, Paul, Andersen, Hayley, McErlean, Gemma, Turbitt, Erin, Soyer, H. Peter, and McInerney-Leo, Aideen M. (2022). Attitudes of Australian dermatologists on the use of genetic testing: A cross-sectional survey with a focus on melanoma. Frontiers in Genetics 13 919134 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.919134