Veronika Bandara

Dr. Veronika Bandara is a Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide's School of Biomedicine within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. She holds a PhD and specializes in molecular biology and cancer immunotherapy. Her research focuses on developing CAR-T cell therapies targeting cancer markers such as LGR5, nfP2X7, and ADAM10, with a strong emphasis on translational applications for solid tumors like colorectal and ovarian cancers. She leads projects on CAR-T development, including FDA-approved clinical trials for LGR5-targeting therapies and collaborations with Carina Biotech Ltd.

Research Interests: Her work bridges basic science and clinical translation, encompassing CAR-T cell engineering, preclinical validation, and GMP manufacturing protocols. Key areas include LGR5 receptor targeting for neuroblastoma and pediatric brain cancers, nfP2X7 CAR-T development for pan-cancer applications, and understanding regulatory T cell mechanisms in autoimmune diseases.

Publications & Grants: Over 20 peer-reviewed articles since 2010, focusing on CAR-T efficacy, biomarker validation, and molecular mechanisms in immunology. Co-inventor of nfP2X7 CAR-T patents. Active in collaborative grants through the Cooperative Research Centre for Cell Therapy Manufacturing.

Advising & Labs: Eligible to supervise Masters/PhD students as co-supervisor. Primary lab affiliation: Molecular Immunology Lab. Current projects include CAR-T translational work and autoimmune disease regulatory T cell studies.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Carina Biotech and leads research teams at the University of Adelaide's Medical Sciences division.