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    Dr Lois Balmer

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Dr Lois Balmer

Dr Lois Balmer is a Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar in the School of Medical and Health Sciences in the discipline of medical sciences. She is also the Deputy Program Lead of the Suboptimal Health Stream in the Centre for Precision Health. Dr Balmer not only teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students but is instrumental in finding the nexus between teaching and research. This is seen by the supervision of over 12 PhD students and awards for teaching over the past 5 years. She is also a Research Advisor to the Nathan Centre for Rare Disease.

Current Teaching

Unit Co-ordinator, undergraduate units:

  • SCH2141 Advanced Biomedical Techniques
  • SCH2226 Human Molecular Genetics
  • SCH3223 Medical Genetics

Unit Co-ordinator, postgraduate unit:

  • SCH6234  Molecular Biology and Genomics

Course Co-ordinator:

  • T89 Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Bioscience)
  • C32 Bachelor of Medical Science
  • Human  Genetics,  Minor
  • Human  Genetics, Major

Background

Dr Balmer is a researcher and lecturer at ECU; she is also a research officer at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.  Her research focuses on the genetics and complications of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, where she has worked for the past 12 years as a Postdoc and the last 5 years as an adjunct.

Professional Associations

  • Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR)
  • Australian Diabetes Society (ADS)
  • Women in Technology WA (WiTWA)
  • Science Teachers Association of Western Australia (STAWA)
  • Australian Society for Medical Research (ASBMB)
  • Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA)

Awards and Recognition

  • 2023 - Athena Swan STEMM Advancement Subsidy, Edith Cowan University
  • 2021 - SDR Scientific Education Award from the Australian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • 2019 - Nominated: ECU for an Australian Award for University Teaching Awards, Granting Instituting: Australian Awards for University Teaching
  • 2018 - Nominated: ECU for an Australian Award for University Teaching Awards, Granting Instituting: Australian Awards for University Teaching
  • 2018 - Vice-Chancellor’s Staff Award, Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
  • 2016 – Minute-to-pitch-it awarded

National and International Awards

  • 2021 - SDR Scientific Education Award from the Australian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, $5000

University and National Teaching Awards

  • 2023 - Athena Swan STEMM Advancement Subsidy, Edith Cowan University, $2000
  • 2018 - Vice-Chancellor’s Staff Award, Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning

Grants and Funding

  • CIB Lois Balmer., et al, ECU SMHS, Heritability enrichment of IgG N-glycosylation relevant genes in specific tissue, 2021, $4,500
  • CIA Lois Balmer., et al, ECU SMHS, Unravelling the health effects of S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide on chronic disease, 2021, $5,000
  • CIB Lois Balmer., et al, Learning and Teaching Grant, Transitional approaches to teaching in the Superlab environment, 2020, $5,000
  • AI L. Balmer., et al, NH&MRC Program Grant, Pathogenesis-based treatment of type 1 diabetes, 2012-2017, $1,200,000/year
  • CIA Lois Balmer., ECU Early Career Research Grant, Beta cell mass and Islet production in the Collaborative Cross, 2016, $30,000
  • CIA Lois Balmer and Bala Krishnamurthy. NH&MRC program grant internal funding, Identification of genes protecting mice from diabetes induced by the highly pathogenic T cell, 2015, $16,667
  • CIA Lois Balmer. Neurotrauma Research Program Grant, 2012, $60,000

Patent

PJ. Leedman, LA. Balmer, and AM. Thomson
mRNA Binding Motif
Lodged: 22nd December 2000 (Australian Patent Office)
Patent Number: PCT/AU00/01595
Full Patent Lodged: 22nd December 2001 (United States)
Patent Number: 10/168781

Editorial Board

  • 2022 - ongoing, Editorial board appointment for Gene Protein and Disease
  • 2023 - Invited host. Research Topic “Research Progress of Diabetes Mellitus” in Sri
  • 2024 - Invited host. Research Topic “Screening remnant lipid markers in cardiometabolic   disease” in Frontiers in Endocrinology

Research Areas and Interests

  • The genetics of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Myelitis,
  • Complications from Diabetes,
  • Glycomics and Sub-Optimal Health Status,
  • Metabolic Syndrome,
  • Scholarship of teaching and curriculum design,
  • Rare disease and career support.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Western Australia, 2005.

Research Outputs

2024

Journal Articles

  • Wu, D., Chen, G., Lan, Y., Chen, S., Ding, X., Wei, C., Balmer, L., Wang, W., Wu, S., Xu, W. (2024). Measurement of cumulative high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and monocyte to high density lipoprotein ratio in the risk prediction of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study. Journal of Translational Medicine, 22(1), Article number 110. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-024-04895-4.
  • Obirikorang, C., Adu, E., Anto, E., Afum-Adjei Awuah, A., Fynn, A., Osei-Somuah, G., Nyarkoa-Ansong, P., Boakye, A., Ofori-Boadu, I., Obirikorang, Y., Adobasom-Anane, A., Nyarko, E., Balmer, L. (2024). Prevalence and risk factors of obesity among undergraduate student population in Ghana: an evaluation study of body composition indices. BMC Public Health, 24(1), Article number 877. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17175-5.
  • Zhou, C., Balmer, L., Song, M., Wu, K., Wang, W., Wang, H. (2024). CircPVT1 promotes migration and invasion by regulating miR-490-5p/HAVCR2 axis in osteosarcoma cells. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 28(8), Article number e18269. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.18269.
  • Zhou, C., Balmer, L., Song, M., Mahara, G., Wu, K., Wang, W., Wang, H. (2024). Identification of circRNA biomarkers in osteosarcoma: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Non-coding RNA Research, 9(2), 341-349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ncrna.2024.01.007.
  • Hill, C., Connolly, E., Shafaei Darestani, A., Balmer, L., Zhong, L., Muka, T., Hayhoe, A., Saha, S., Woodman, RJ., Lewis, J., Hodgson, J., Blekkenhorst, L. (2024). Development of a food composition database for the estimation of dietary S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide from vegetables. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 130(2024), article number 106151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2024.106151.
  • Wu, Z., Jiang, Y., Guo, Z., Li, P., Zheng, Y., Wang, Y., Zhang, H., Balmer, L., Li, X., Tao, L., Zhang, Q., Gao, B., Guo, X. (2024). Remnant cholesterol traits and risk of stroke: A multivariable Mendelian randomization study. PNAS Nexus, 3(2), Article number pgae033. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae033.

2023

Journal Articles

  • Tian, C., Balmer, L., Tan, X. (2023). COVID‑19 lessons to protect populations against future pandemics by implementing PPPM principles in healthcare. EPMA Journal, 14(3), 329-340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13167-023-00331-7.
  • Lan, Y., Wu, D., Cai, Z., Xu, Y., Ding, X., Wu, W., Lan, S., Chen, L., Guo, Z., Balmer, L., Li, X., Song, M., Wu, S., Gao, J., Wang, W., Chen, Y. (2023). Supra-additive effect of chronic inflammation and atherogenic dyslipidemia on developing type 2 diabetes among young adults: a prospective cohort study. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 22(1), Article number 181. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-023-01878-5.
  • Hill, C., Liu, A., McCahon, L., Zhong, L., Shafaei Darestani, A., Balmer, L., Lewis, J., Hodgson, J., Blekkenhorst, L. (2023). S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide and its potential role in human health: a scoping review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2023(Article in press), TBD. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2023.2267133.
  • Lan, Y., Chen, G., Wu, D., Ding, X., Huang, Z., Wang, X., Balmer, L., Li, X., Song, M., Wang, W., Wu, S., Chen, Y. (2023). Temporal relationship between atherogenic dyslipidemia and inflammation and their joint cumulative effect on type 2 diabetes onset: a longitudinal cohort study. BMC Medicine, 21(1), Article number 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-02729-6.
  • Wu, Z., Guo, Z., Zheng, Y., Wang, Y., Zhang, H., Pan, H., Li, Z., Balmer, L., Li, X., Tao, L., Guo, X., Wang, W. (2023). IgG N-Glycosylation Cardiovascular Age Tracks Cardiovascular Risk Beyond Calendar Age. Engineering, Article in press(Article in press), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2022.12.004.
  • Wu, D., Lan, Y., Chen, S., Ding, X., Chen, G., Wu, C., Balmer, L., Xu, W., Wu, S., Wang, W. (2023). Combined effect of adiposity and elevated inflammation on incident type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 22(Article in press), Article number 351. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-023-02067-0.

2022

Journal Articles

  • Hill, C., Shafaei Darestani, A., Balmer, L., Lewis, J., Hodgson, J., Millar, H., Blekkenhorst, L. (2022). Sulfer compounds: From plants to humans and their role in chronic disease prevention.. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2022(article in press), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2057915.
  • Macdonald, S., Bosio, E., Nathan, S., Balmer, L., Burrows, S., Hibbs, M., Jowitt, T., Smart, L., Arendts, G., Fatovich, D. (2022). No association between intravenous fluid volume and endothelial glycocalyx shedding in patients undergoing resuscitation for sepsis in the emergency department. Scientific Reports, 12(1), article number 8733. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12752-x.
  • Guo, Z., Meng, R., Zheng, Y., Li, X., Zhon, Z., Yu, L., Tang, Q., Zhao, Y., Garcia, M., Tan, Y., Song, M., Balmer, L., Wen, J., Hou, H., Tan, X., Wang, W. (2022). Translation and cross-cultural validation of a precision health tool, the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire-25, in Korean. Journal of Global Health, 12(1 October 2022), Article Number 04077. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.12.04077.
  • Xu, X., Balmer, L., Chen, Z., Mahara, G., Lin, L. (2022). The role of IgG N-galactosylation in spondyloarthritis. Translational Metabolic Syndrome Research, 5(2022), 16-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmsr.2022.01.001.
  • Wu, D., Lan, Y., Xu, Y., Xu, S., Huang, Y., Balmer, L., Maharra, G., Xu, W., Wang, W., Wu, S. (2022). Association of cumulative monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio with the risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 21(1), Article Number 268. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-022-01701-7.

2021

Book Chapters

  • Wang, X., Zhong, Z., Balmer, L., Wang, W. (2021). Glycosylation profiling as a biomarker of Suboptimal Health Status for Chronic Disease Stratification. The Role of Glycosylation in Health and Disease (321-339). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70115-4_16.

Journal Articles

  • Obirikorang, C., Adu, EA., Anto, E., Acheampong, E., Quaye, L., Amoah, BY., Annani-Akollor, ME., Kwakye, AS., Fokuoh, F., Appiah, M., Nyarko, EN., Aidoo, F., Adua, E., Afrifa-Yamoah, E., Balmer, L., Wang, W. (2021). Association between Transcription Factor 7-like-2 Polymorphisms and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Ghanaian Population. Sci, 3(4), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/sci3040040.

2020

Journal Articles

  • Jo, Y., Balmer, L., Lee, B., Shim, JA., Ali, LA., Morahan, G., Hong, C. (2020). Variants of innate CD8+ T cells are associated with Grip2 and Klf15 genes. Cellular and Molecular Immunology, 17(9), 1007-1009. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-019-0357-3.
  • Balmer, L., O'Leary, C., Menotti-Raymond, M., David, V., O’brien, S., Penglis, B., Hendrickson, S., Reeves-Johnson, M., Gottlieb, S., Fleeman, L., Vankan, D., Rand, J., Morahan, G. (2020). Mapping of Diabetes Susceptibility Loci in a Domestic Cat Breed with an Unusually High Incidence of Diabetes Mellitus. Genes, 11(11), Article number 1369. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11111369.

2019

Journal Articles

  • Collin, R., Balmer, L., Morahan, G., Lesage, S. (2019). Common Heritable Immunological Variations Revealed in Genetically Diverse Inbred Mouse Strains of the Collaborative Cross. Journal of Immunology, 202(3), 777-786. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1801247.
  • Salimova, E., Nowak, K., Estrada, A., Furtado, M., McNamara, E., Nguyen, Q., Balmer, L., Preuss, C., Holmes, J., Ramialison, M., Morahan, G., Rosenthal, N. (2019). Variable outcomes of human heart attack recapitulated ingenetically diverse mice. NPJ Regenerative Medicine, 4(2019), Article Number: 5. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41536-019-0067-6.
  • Ferguson, B., Handoko, HY., Mukhopadhyay, P., Chitsazan, A., Balmer, L., Morahan, G., Walker, GJ. (2019). Different genetic mechanisms mediate spontaneous versus UVR-induced malignant melanoma. eLife, 8(Jan 25, 2019), article no.e42424. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.42424.
  • Balmer, L., Whiting, R., Rudnicka, C., Gallo, L., Jandeleit , K., Chow, Z., Chow, Y., Richardson, K., Forbes, J., Morahan, G. (2019). Genetic characterization of early renal changes in a novel mouse model of diabetic kidney disease. Kidney International, 96(4), 918-926. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kint.2019.04.031.

2017

Journal Articles

  • Balmer, L., Weerasekera, L., Morahan, G. (2017). Genetic Variation in the Retinal Vasculature of the Collaborative Cross. Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 1(1), 36-45.
  • Boutilier, J., Taylor, R., Ram, R., McNamara, E., Nguyen, Q., Goullée, H., Chandler, D., Mehta, M., Balmer, L., Laing, N., Morahan, G., Nowak, K. (2017). Variable cardiac α-actin (Actc1) expression in early adult skeletal muscle correlates with promoter methylation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Gene Regulatory Mechanisms, 1860(10), 1025-1036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagrm.2017.08.004.

2016

Journal Articles

  • Andrikopoulos , S., Fam, B., Holdsworth, A., Visinoni, S., Ruan, Z., Stathopoulos, M., Thorburn, A., Joannides, C., Cancilla, M., Balmer, L., Proietto , J., Morahan , G. (2016). Identification of ABCC8 as a contributory gene to impaired early-phase insulin secretion in NZO mice. Journal of Endocrinology, 228(1), 61-73. https://doi.org/10.1530/JOE-15-0290.

2015

Journal Articles

  • Weerasekera, LY., Balmer, L., Ram, R., Morahan, G. (2015). Characterization of Retinal Vascular and Neural Damage in a Novel Model of Diabetic Retinopathy. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 56(6), 3721-30. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.14-16289.

2014

Journal Articles

2012

Journal Articles

  • Iraqi, F., Mahajne, M., Salaymah, Y., Sandovski, H., Tayem, H., Vered, K., Balmer, L., Hall, M., Manship, G., Morahan, G., Pettit, K., Scholten, J., Tweedie, K., Wallace, A., Weerasekera, L., Cleak, J., Durrant, C., Goodstadt, L., Mott, R., Yalcin, B., Aylor, D., Baric, R., Bell, T., Bendt, K., Brennan, J., Brooks, J., Buus, R., Crowley, J., Calaway, J., Calaway, M., Cholka, A., Darr, D., Didion, J., Dorman, A., Everett, E., Ferris, M., Mathes, W., Fu, C., Gooch, T., Goodson, S., Gralinski, L., Hansen, S., Heise, M., Hoel, J., Hua, K., Kapita, M., Lee, S., Lenarcic, A., Liu, E., Liu, H., McMillan, L., Magnuson, T., Manly, K., Miller, D., O'Brien, D., Odet, F., Pakatci, I., Pan, W., De Villena, F., Perou, C., Pomp, D., Quackenbush, C., Robinson, N., Sharpless, N., Shaw, G., Spence, J., Sullivan, P., Sun, W., Tarantino, L., Valdar, W., Wang, J., Wang, W., Welsh, C., Whitmore, A., Wiltshire, T., Wright, F., Xie, Y., Yun, Z., Zhabotynsky, V., Zhang, Z., Zou, F., Powell, C., Steigerwalt, J., Threadgill, D., Chesler, E., Churchill, G., Gatti, D., Korstanje, R., Svenson, K., Collins, F., Crawford, N., Hunter, K., Samir, N., Kelada, P., Peck, B., Reilly, K., Tavarez, U., Bottomly, D., Hitzeman, R., McWeeney, S., Frelinger, J., Krovi, H., Phillippi, J., Spritz, R., Aicher, L., Katze, M., Rosenzweig, E., Shusterman, A., Nashef, A., Weiss, E., Houri-Haddad, Y., Soller, M., Williams, R., Schughart, K., Yang, H., French, J., Benson, A., Kim, J., Legge, R., Low, S., Ma, F., Martinez, I., Walter, J., Broman, K., Hallgrimsson, B., Klein, O., Weinstock, G., Warren, W., Yang, Y., Schwartz, D. (2012). The Genome Architecture of the Collaborative Cross Mouse Genetic Reference Population. Genetics, 190(2), 389-401. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.111.132639.

2011

Journal Articles

  • Jacoby-Alner, T., Stephens, N., Davern, KM., Balmer, L., Brown, SG., Swindells, K. (2011). Histopathological analysis and in situ localisation of Australian tiger snake venom in two clinically envenomed domestic animals. Toxicon, 58(4), 304-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2011.07.008.

2008

Journal Articles

  • Shand, J., Davies, W., Thomas, N., Balmer, L., Cowing, JA., Pointer, M., Carvalho, LS., Trezise, AE., Collin, SP., Beazley, LD., Hunt, DM. (2008). The influence of ontogeny and light environment on the expression of visual pigment opsins in the retina of the black bream, Acanthopagrus butcheri. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 211(9), 1495-1503.
  • Morahan, G., Balmer, L., Monley, D. (2008). Establishment of "The Gene Mine": a resource for rapid identification of complex trait genes. Mammalian Genome, 19(6), 390-393. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00335-008-9134-9.

Research Projects

  • Exploring and translating subjective and objective measures of suboptimal cardiometabolic health in a community-orientated setting , Department of Health WA, WA Near-miss Awards: Ideas , 2024 ‑ 2025, $100,000.
  • Exploring the health effects of S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide for the prevention of type 2 diabetes, Edith Cowan University, Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant Scheme 2022 (Stream 2), 2023 ‑ 2024, $39,511.
  • Beta cell mass and Islet production in the Gene Mine mouse strains, Edith Cowan University, ECU Early Career Researcher Grant - 2016, 2016 ‑ 2017, $30,000.

Research Student Supervision

Current Supervisions

Principal Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Efficacy of ellagic acid and its microbial metabolites in a diet-induced mouse model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Horizontal QRS Axis Predicts Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Response and Prognosis in Heart Failure Patients with a Wide QRS Duration
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The dynamic change and correlation between gut microbiota and plasma metabolites during the transition from hyperthyroidism to remission in Graves' disease patients

Co-principal Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Monocytic inflammation and cardiometabolic diseases and mortality
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Published data mining for Biomarker Identification
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Exploring the Impact of Uterine Fibroids on Hypertension through Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 alpha-Medicated Regulation of Endothelin-1 and Soluble Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase 1 in Hypoxic Leiomyoma Smooth Muscle Cells
  • Doctor of Philosophy, A Manualised Group Program Targeted Towards Internalised Stigma

Associate Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Development and External Validation of a Novel Prognostic Model for Aortic-related Adverse Events after Endovascular Repair in Patients with Type B Aortic Dissection
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Investigating roles of IgG N-glycosylation in insulin resistance mediated by adipose tissue inflammation
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Profiling of Oxidative Stress, Angiogenic Growth Mediators, and Metabolic Measures for Early Risk Stratification of Preeclampsia: A Longitudinal Nested-Case Control Study
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Dietary S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide and human health: Mechanisms of action and cardiometabolic effects.

Completed Supervisions

Principal Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Establishment and Characterisation of A Novel Mouse Model of Diabletic Retinopathy

Co-principal Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Roles of remnant cholesterol in the risk factor, occurrence and in-hospital outcomes of stroke

Associate Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, How Coxsackievirus B3 Infection Impairing Host Cells by Inducing Aberrant Autophagy
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Inflammation, metabolic disorders and incident type 2 diabetes
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