Dr Natalie McKirdy
Faculty of Health,
School of Biomedical Sciences
Biography
After completing her Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Science) at Queensland University of Technology, Natalie pursued an Honours research project to develop a transplantable layer of cells grown upon a silk membrane with the aim of restoring sight to patients with corneal endothelial dystrophy. After two years working in clinical trials and feto-maternal research, she returned to her first love (ophthalmic research) to earn her PhD enrolled through the University of Queensland’s School of Medicine, with her lab work carried out at the Queensland Eye Institute. Awarded in 2018, her PhD project investigated compounds from raw silk in a range of therapeutic applications, including as a biomaterial for restoring a key cell population lost due to the common blinding condition, age-related macular degeneration (AMD).After several years project managing a state-wide science outreach program, Natalie has returned to QUT to contribute to the MRFF-funded corneal bioengineering project and project manage the international collaborations she established to investigate a rare blinding condition, Iridocorneal Endothelial (ICE) Syndrome.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Personal details
Positions
- Research Officer
Faculty of Health,
School of Biomedical Sciences
Research field
Medical Biochemistry and Metabolomics, Medical Microbiology
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy (University of Queensland)
Professional memberships and associations
Women in Technology, Golden Key Society.
Teaching
Natalie has a wealth of experience teaching into first year anatomy, physiology, and pathology subjects at QUT including Understanding Disease Concepts (LSB111), Human Anatomy and Physiology (LSB142), Disease Concepts (CSB520), and held the leadership position of Academic In Charge for the LS47 Medical Laboratory Science stream of the newly devised Human Anatomy (LQB187) course in 2021.
She is also highly experienced in science education, more broadly, with previous roles working in and with schools on STEMM outreach projects, creating curriculum aligned learning sequences, designing and delivering lesson plans, and facilitating teacher professional development sessions for both metro-based teachers and those in rural, regional, and remote areas across Queensland.
Experience
Natalie is a PhD-qualified scientist who understands the importance of not only conducting and publishing research with clinical relevance, but communicating those findings to the wider community. She is an enthusiastic STEMM literacy advocate, using her passion to generate support for, and an appreciation of, rigorous scientific research while volunteering as a Young Science Ambassador with Wonder of Science for 5 years, before working as a Project Officer with them for another 3 years.
Natalie has a passion for sharing STEMM research processes and outcomes with the general public in the spirit of transparency and accountability, which has led to her involvement in a wide variety of community outreach events including a TEDx talk, sci-comedy panels with Science Says! and Convince Me, MCing science outreach events with Wonder of Science and Pint of Science, and participating in science communication competitions such as 3 Minute Thesis (UQ Faculty of Medicine Finalist, 2016) and FameLab (Queensland Winner and National Finalist, 2016).
Publications
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Natalie, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).