Romana Stark

Romana Stark is a Research Fellow in Physiology at Monash University, holding an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship. She specializes in neural mechanisms regulating food intake and energy balance. Her work focuses on how metabolic cues in the brain influence peripheral tissues, with emphasis on diabetes, obesity, and mitochondrial metabolism.

Education:

• Masters in Nutrition Science (University of Vienna, 2005)
• PhD in Medical Sciences (University of Vienna, 2012) under Prof. Shulman at Yale University

Research Interests: Stark investigates hunger signaling pathways, AgRP neuron function, and metabolic sensing in neural circuits. Her work bridges mitochondrial biology with neuroendocrine regulation, addressing how energy deficits trigger corrective physiological responses.

Recent Projects:

• "How does the brain sense low blood glucose?" (NHMRC-funded, 2019–2024)
• "Metabolic hormones in the olfactory bulb" (British Society for Neuroendocrinology, 2022)

Scientific Awards:

• NHMRC Early Career Fellowship

Advising & Grants: Supervises PhD students and leads projects on cancer cachexia, ghrelin signaling, and neuroendocrine pathways. Collaborates internationally with experts in diabetes and metabolism.

Labs/Teams: Active in Monash University’s metabolic research group, focusing on translational neuroendocrinology and metabolic disease mechanisms.