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Doctor

Lila Landowski

Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences

Health Sciences

Orcid identifier0000-0001-6195-8536
  • Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences
    Health Sciences
  • School of Health Sciences, Health Sciences, 440-01 MSP, Hobart CBD Campuses, TAS

BIO

Dr. Lila Landowski is a multi-award winning neuroscientist and lecturer at the University of Tasmania, holding Director positions at the Australian Society for Medical Research, Science and Technology Australia, and Epilepsy Tasmania. She is a regular guest expert science communicator for the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), and keynote speaker at Saxton Speakers. Her research spans various areas including stroke, nanotechnology, and nerve regeneration, and she has taught in diverse fields such as medicine, nursing, and science over the last 15 years.

Over the last 10 years, Lila has taught across the across the Bachelor of Medicine, Dementia Care, Medical Research, Biotechnology, Pharmacy, Nursing, Paramedicine and Science; as well as the Masters of Medical Research and Dementia Care. Lila has been awarded the university’s highest honour - Vice Chancellors’ citations - for her early career academic teaching and community engagement.

Lila has a strong personal focus on community health and wellbeing, making the wonderful world of science more accessible to the community through radio, TV, public talks and in print and digital media. The TEDx speakers achievements include receiving the Premier’s Young Achiever of the Year and AIPS Young Tall Poppy award, and being a finalist for an Australian Museum Eureka Award and Young Australian of the Year. She was featured in the documentary "Catching Opportunity."

A leading voice in STEM and advocacy, Lila holds honorary titles such as “Superstar of STEM,” and is an ambassador for public school education, a patron of National Science week, and was named a “Science superhero” by Australia’s Chief Scientist.


Research Biography:

As a neuroscientist, Lila’s research expertise spans across axon guidance, therapeutic development for nerve injury, stroke and fatigue. In 2014, after completing her PhD at the Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, Lila trained at the Peripheral Nerve lab at the Mayo Clinic to cement her status as an emerging leader in the field of peripheral nerve injury. She was recruited to teach and coordinate neuroscience units at the Wicking Dementia Centre at the same time. In recent years, her research focus has shifted from peripheral neuropathy to stroke. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Professor David Howells. For several months across late 2016-early 2017, Lila spent time as a visiting scholar at the Florey Institute’s Melbourne Brain Centre (Austin Hospital, Melbourne), developing surgical skills research to bring back to UTAS. With the support of a $450,000 investment from the Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation, her foremost research goal is to transform the success of preclinical stroke research. Through improving preclinical models of stroke, we may save as much as $1.9bn in the $14.9bn research cost of developing new stroke therapies.

Educational Qualifications:
PhD, Menzies Research Institute, AUS, 2014. Thesis: LRP receptors in a novel mechanism of axon pathfinding and peripheral nerve regeneration
BMedRes (1st Class Hons), Menzies Research Institute, AUS, 2009. Thesis: Metallothionein II and III; novel chemotactic cues in growth cones
BMedRes, University of Tasmania, AUS, 2008

Memberships & Professional practice:
Director - Science and Technology Australia
Director – Communications Portfolio – Australian Society of Medical Research
Director – Board of Directors – Epilepsy Tasmania
Member, Society for Neuroscience
Member, Australasian Neuroscience Society
Member, Golden Key Society
Member, Australian Medical Research Society

Administrative expertise:
Unit coordination
Managing and curating social media for the Australasian Neuroscience Society and the Australian Medical Research Society.
Australasian Neuroscience Society – Committee member, Social media strategy workgroup.

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Senior Lecturer
    University of Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Australia1 Jan 2020 - present

NON-ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Director
    Science and Technology Australia28 Nov 2023 - present
  • Director
    Australian Society for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia22 Mar 2019 - 1 Dec 2023
  • Executive Director
    Australian Society for Medical Research, Sydney, Australia31 Dec 2020 - 29 Nov 2022
  • Director
    Epilepsy Tasmania5 Mar 2019 - present
  • Keynote Speaker
    Saxton Speakers Bureau1 Sep 2022 - present
  • Keynote Speaker
    ICMI Speakers Bureau1 Sep 2023 - present

SCHOOL AND PORTFOLIO

  • School of Health Sciences

FIELD OF RESEARCH