Michelle McDonald

Dr. Michelle McDonald is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Medical Sciences within the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. Her research program focuses on skeletal biology with particular emphasis on bone metastasis, osteoclast biology, and multiple myeloma bone disease.

Dr. McDonald's research interests span bone biology, osteoporosis, multiple myeloma, and bone metastasis. Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of osteoclast biology, particularly regarding osteoclast recycling through osteomorphs and the rebound phenomenon following denosumab discontinuation. She has pioneered research on bone imaging techniques, developing minimally invasive approaches to visualize cellular dynamics in intact long bone and single-cell resolution imaging of tumor cells in bone.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on translational bone research with significant contributions to understanding the mechanisms of bone metastasis, particularly in breast cancer and multiple myeloma. Her work on osteomorphs has opened new avenues for therapeutic intervention in bone diseases. Her 2024 publications demonstrate continued innovation in bone imaging technologies and computational approaches to understanding bone diseases.

Dr. McDonald has secured significant research funding including NIH grants for bone-targeted therapies to improve bone health and prevent relapse in multiple myeloma, as well as targeted funding from Tour de Cure Ltd for research on the skeleton as a reservoir for metastatic tumor cells in breast cancer.

Her research program involves extensive collaboration with leading bone researchers internationally and utilizes advanced imaging technologies to investigate cellular dynamics in bone. She is actively contributing to the development of new therapeutic approaches for bone diseases and metastatic cancers that affect bone.