Dr Brenna Osborne is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Hoehn Lab in the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences. Brenna completed her PhD at the Garvan Institute, Sydney in 2015 investigating the role of post-translational modifications in mitochondria that are mediated by the sirtuin protein, SIRT3, in models of insulin resistance and diet-induced obesity. 

Research Focus

Brenna’s current primary research interests include exploring the role of NAD⁺ metabolism in skeletal muscle and liver in in vivo animal models in the context of obesity, type 2 diabetes and longevity, and investigating novel therapeutics to prevent or treat the pathophysiology associated with ageing, excess dietary fat and insulin resistance.

Qualifications

PhD, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 2015

Professional Experience

• 2024- current: Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW
• 2018 - 2023: Assistant Professor, Center for Healthy Ageing, Faculty of Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
• 2018 - 2020: Postdoc, Center for Healthy Ageing, Faculty of Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
• 2015 - 2018: Research Associate, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW
• 2011-2014: PhD student, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
• 2005 - 2010: Research Assistant, Centenary Institute of Medical Research

Awards

• Ian Potter Travel Award 2017
• Australian Diabetes Society Pincus Taft Young Investigator Award, 2016
• Travel Awards: Lundbeck Foundation Travel Grant 2018; Australian Diabetes Society 2014; International Diabetes Federation 2013; Seahorse Bioscience 2013; European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2012
• NHMRC Dora Lush  Biomedical Postgraduate Scholarship, 2011 - 2014