Sonia Shah

Dr. Sonia Shah is an Associate Professor and Group Leader of the Genomics in Health research group at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), University of Queensland. She holds a National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship and leads initiatives such as the South Asian Genes and Health in Australia (SAGHA) Study, addressing health inequities through genomic representation of diverse populations. Her research focuses on cardiovascular disease mechanisms, pharmacogenomics, and liver transplantation outcomes using normothermic machine perfusion (NMP). She investigates sex-specific cardiovascular risks in women and antidepressant mechanisms through the AMBER study, funded by Wellcome Trust.

Her academic roles include supervising PhD students like Zoe Hunter and Xiadong Mo, and collaborating with institutions such as King's College London and the Queensland Cardiac Genetics Clinic. Awards include the 2024 Ruth Stephens Gani Medal and 2023 Nature Inspiring Women Finalist recognition. She has secured grants totaling over $5M, including NHMRC and Medical Research Future Fund awards. Her work spans genomic data analysis, drug discovery pipelines, and translational research to improve clinical outcomes in cardiovascular and mental health domains.

Key contributions include advancing liver transplant viability assessments via genomic technologies and promoting genomic equity through projects like the Australian Genetic Diversity Database. Her lab integrates computational models with experimental approaches, exemplified by the TRIAGE platform for variant classification and the HERMES Heart Failure Consortium.