Simon Conn

Professor Simon Conn is a Full Member of the College of Medicine and Public Health and the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute at Flinders University. With expertise in molecular and cellular biology, he leads research on circular RNAs (circRNAs) and their implications in cellular development and cancer, with significant contributions published in top journals including Cell, Nature Biotechnology, and Nature Reviews Cancer.

Dr. Conn completed his Bachelor of Biotechnology (Hons) at Flinders University in 2006 and pursued postdoctoral research at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in France and the Centre for Cancer Biology in Australia. His academic journey demonstrates a transition from plant molecular biology to human cancer research, with a focus on RNA mechanisms.

Professor Conn's research primarily investigates circular RNAs and their roles in gene regulation, with particular emphasis on cancer biology (brain cancer, prostate cancer), stem cell biology, and transcriptomics. His work has revealed how circRNAs impact cellular development pathways and contribute to oncogenesis, establishing him as a leader in this emerging field of RNA biology.

His recent publications demonstrate a clear progression from fundamental circRNA biology to translational applications, with significant contributions to bioinformatics tools for circRNA analysis, understanding circRNA roles in cancer mechanisms, and developing circRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The research shows strong interdisciplinary integration between molecular biology, bioinformatics, and cancer therapeutics.

• Australian Research Council Future Fellowship
• NHMRC-project funding
• Over $2M in peer-reviewed research grants in the past 3 years
• h-index of 21 with over 80 citations per article

Professor Conn has successfully supervised 12 graduate students across principal and associate supervisions, including Laura Gantley who received the University Medal in April 2023. His laboratory has secured substantial research funding and produced high-impact publications that have significantly advanced the understanding of RNA biology in disease contexts.

Based at the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Professor Conn leads a research team within the Alternative Splicing in Human Pathologies Laboratory, investigating RNA biology with direct implications for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to good health and well-being through advancing precision medicine approaches.