Liz studies the way that faulty DNA replication and cell divisions can alter the fate of a cancer cell. She received undergraduate degrees in Science and Law from UNSW Sydney, before studying towards a Masters of Science at the University of Toronto, Canada.  Her PhD studies took her back to Sydney where she investigated the interaction between hormone signalling and proliferative control of breast cancer cells.  In 2013 she established her own research team at the Garvan Institute, the Replication and Genome Stability Group.

The Replication and Genome Stability group works towards understanding the way that cancer cells evolve due to the selective pressure of therapeutic drugs and cancer driver genes called oncogenes. A primary goal is understanding the evolution of hormone therapy resistance in breast cancer, which is a major cause of breast cancer related death.  Based on their findings on the multistep acquisition of hormone therapy resistance, Liz and her team are focussed on translating knowledge about fundamental breast cancer biology and evolution into targetable therapies that provide clinical benefit.