Christopher Pastras

Dr. Christopher Pastras is a Macquarie University Research Fellow in the School of Engineering and a member of the Hearing Research Centre. His primary research focuses on the inner ear, integrating neurophysiology, biomechanics, and bioengineering to develop novel tools for investigating inner ear function and balance systems. He holds a PhD from Macquarie University and has been awarded prestigious fellowships, including the Garnett Passe & Rodney Williams Fellowship (2020) and the Macquarie University Research Fellowship (2022). His work includes developing in vivo platforms to measure cellular, neural, and mechanical responses in the mammalian inner ear, alongside advanced prosthetic design and proteomics-based disease research.

External Affiliations:

• Research Affiliate, University of Sydney (since June 2022)

Research Interests:

• Inner ear mechanics and disease mechanisms
• Bioengineering of sensory systems and prosthetics
• Proteomics and metabolomics for biomedical diagnostics
• Mechanical and electrophysiological studies of vestibular function

Key Projects:

• Developing a proteomics platform for inner ear disease (2024–2026)
• Advanced biosensor fabrication via inkjet printing (2024)
• Comparative studies of Meniere’s disease models (2022–2026)

Awards:

• Garnett Passe & Rodney Williams Fellowship, University of Sydney (2020)
• Macquarie University Research Fellowship (2022)

Grants and Advising: Dr. Pastras leads multiple interdisciplinary projects funded by institutions such as Curtin University and Macquarie University. He also serves as an Early Career Researcher Representative and co-chairs a grassroots network for researchers in hearing science.

Labs/Teams: Active member of the Hearing Research Centre and collaborates across disciplines in bioengineering and biomedical research.