Bit about me

I am a Research Genetic Counsellor in the Integrating Genomics into Medicine (IGM) Team at the University of Queensland Frazer Institute based at the Translational Research Institute (TRI). I completed my PhD in skin cancer (melanoma) genetics through the University of Queensland at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in 2021, followed by a Masters of Genetic Counselling at the University of Technology Sydney in 2022. I have experience in various projects on cancer biology and genetics in my 9 years being a researcher, and worked as a Clinical Allied Health Assistant at Genetic Health Queensland during my Masters degree. I am a Singapore-born Australian of Indian ancestry, and I am the Clinical Research Co-ordinator for the South Asian Genes and Health in Australia (SAGHA) study, the first ever genomic study focused on South Asians in Australia.

Awards & Recognition

• HGSA QLD Branch Conference Scholarship (2021)             

• Women in Technology: Young Achiever (Science) Finalist (2020) 

• Australian Functional Genomics Conference Travel Award (2019)

• QIMR Berghofer Student Symposium- First prize for student presentation (2019)

• QIMR Berghofer Travel Award (2018)

• QIMR Berghofer Top-Up Scholarship Award (2018)

• UQ Research Training Program Scholarship and Living Stipend (2016)

• QIMR Berghofer Honours Scholarship (2015)       

Selected publications

(see ORCid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7201-6819 for full list and more details) 

1. Yanes, T., Nathan, V., Wallingford, C., Faragher, R., Nankervis, K., Jacobs, C., Vassos, M., Boyle, F., Carroll, A., Smith, S., & McInerney-Leo, A. (2023). Australasian genetic counselors' attitudes toward disability and prenatal testing: Findings from a cross-sectional survey. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 00, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgc4.1788  

2. Nathan V, Johansson PA, Palmer JM, Hamilton HR, Howlie M, Brooks KM, Hayward NK, Pritchard AL. A rare missense variant in POT1 predisposes to a range of haematological malignancies. Brit J Haematology. (2020) doi:10.1111/bjh.17218.  

3. Nathan V, Palmer JM, Johansson PA, Hamilton HR, Warrier SK, Glasson W, McGrath LA, Kahl VFS, Vasireddy RS, Pickett HA, Brooks KM, Pritchard AL, Hayward NK. Loss-of-function variants in POT1 predispose to uveal melanoma. J Med Genet. Epub ahead of print (2020) doi:10.1136/jmedgenet-2020-107098.  

4. Johansson PA, Brooks K, Newell F, Palmer J, Wilmott J, Pritchard AL, Broit N, Wood S, Carlino M, Leonard C, Koufariotis L, Nathan V, Beasley A, Howley M, Dawson R, Rizos H, Schmidt C, Long G, Hamilton H, Kilgaard J, Isaacs T, Gray E, Rolfe O, Park J, Stark A, Mann G, Scolyer R, Pearson J, van Baren N, Waddell N, Wadt K, McGrath L, Warrier S, Glasson W, Hayward NK. Whole genome landscapes of uveal melanoma show a role for ultraviolet radiation in iris tumours. Nat Commun. May 15, 2020, Vol.11(1), p.2408 doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16276-8.  

5. Nathan V, Johansson PA, Palmer JM, Howlie M, Hamilton HR, Wadt K, Jönsson G, Brooks K, Pritchard AL, Hayward NK. Germline variants in oculocutaneous albinism pigmentation genes predispose to familial cutaneous melanoma. PCMR November 2019, Vol.32(6), pp.854-86  doi.org/10.1111/pcmr.12804. 

6. Larsen JE, Nathan V, Osborne JK, Farrow RK, Deb D, Sullivan JP, Dospoy P, Augustyn A, Hight SK, Sato M, Girard L, Behrens C, Wistuba II, Gazdar AF, Hayward NK, Minna JD. ZEB1 drives epithelial-to mesenchymal transition in lung cancer. J Clin Invest. Sept, 2016, Vol.126(9), p.3219(17) doi:10.1172/JCI76725.