Professor Susan Clark, PhD, FAA, FAHMS, is internationally recognized for her pioneering research in cancer epigenetics and epigenomics. She is currently NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow and Research Director, Epigenetics Laboratory, at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia.
The techniques Susan developed in the early 1990s and 2000s, including bisulphite single molecule methylation sequencing and bisulphite-based PCR methods, helped to revolutionize the impact of epigenetic research in embryonic development and human disease and led to commercialization of methylation tests for cancer management. Using the growing suite of epigenomic sequencing technologies and bioinformatic analyses, her laboratory has made ground-breaking discoveries relating to alterations of epigenomic patterns in cancer genomes, including the concept of long-range epigenetic deregulation spanning large-scale 3D domains associated with changes in replication timing and co-ordinate gene silencing and activation.
Susan was an inaugural member of the NIH steering committee that established the Epigenome Roadmap, a member of the management committee of the International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC) and on the advisory board of the European “BluePrint” IHEC consortium and led the formation and resided as long-standing president of the AEpiA (Australian Epigenetics Alliance).
During her career, Prof Clark has authored >140 peer-reviewed research articles, 30 reviews and 9 book chapters. Her publications have received >24,000 citations. She has received a number of National and International Awards including the German “Biochemisch Analytik Preis” for outstanding contribution for Methylation analysis (2004); Fellow of the World Technology Network for Biotechnology (2006), Australia’s "Top Ten" National Health and Medical Research (NHMRC) Project Scientists (2009) and Rotary Award for Vocational Excellence (2012). In 2015 she was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy (FAA); in 2017 Ramaciotti Foundation National Medal of Excellence and in 2019 NSW Premiers Prize for Excellence in Medical Biological Sciences and in 2020 elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, (FAHMS).
My Grants
CURRENT
2023-2025: NHMRC Ideas Grant # 2020334
Title: Functional impact of CTCF binding site mutations in 3D cancer genome regulation.
CIA Clark S, Khoury A
2022-2024: NHMRC Ideas Grant #App 2012072
Title: 3D Nuclear Re-organisation Potentiates Genomic Structural Variations in Prostate Cancer
CIA Clark SJ, Stirzaker, C
2019-2023: NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellowship # APP1156408
Title: Unravelling The Cancer Epigenome: Mechanisms to Translation
CIA Clark SJ
My Qualifications
1982: PhD, University of Adelaide, SA. Thesis Title: Chicken and human histone genes. Supervisor Dr Julian Wells.
1978: BScHons, Australian National University, ACT. 1st Class Honours and top in year in Biochemistry. Thesis Title: Sex determining genes. Supervisor Dr Ken Reed
1977: BSc, Major in Biochemistry, Australian National University, ACT
My Awards
2020 - Elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
2019 - NSW Premiers Prize for Excellence in Medical Biological Sciences
2019 - Senior Principal Research Fellowship (NHMRC)
2017 - The Clive and Vera Ramaciotti Foundation: 2017 Medal of Excellence for Biological
Science ($50K)
2015 - Elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science
2015 - CINSW Award: The Rob Sutherland Make a Difference Award ($20K)
2015 - Nadine Watson Lecture Award for a Leading Female scientist
2014 - Senior Principal Research Fellowship (NHMRC)
2012 - Rotary Award for Vocational Excellence
2011 - Victor Chang Medal (Barbara Ell Seminar Series Lecturer)
2010 - Service to Science and Industry, North Shore Times, 50 year medal
2009 - Australia’s “Top Ten” (NHMRC) Scientist Award
2009 - Promoted Senior Principal Research Fellow (Garvan Institute)
2008 - Principal Research Fellowship (NHMRC)
2008 - Adjunct Professor, Faculty Medicine, University of NSW
2008 - Director’s Inaugural Women in Science Lecture Award (WEHI)
2006 - World Technology Award, finalist for Biotechnology: the most innovative people in the science and technology world in 2006
2006 - Elected a Fellow of the World Technology Network for Biotechnology for contribution to Epigenetics technology
2004 - Principal Research Fellowship (NHMRC)
2004 - The Ruby Payne-Scott Award Lecture for women in Australian science
2004 - German Science Prize “Biochemisch Analytik Preis” (50,000 Euros) for outstanding contribution for Methylation analysis.
Since 1970, this award has recognized the work of 27 world-renowned scientists, four of whom have subsequently gone on to win a Nobel Prize
2003 - Julian Wells Medal for “outstanding contribution to gene action and genome structure”, Lorne Genome conference
2002 - RPAH Research Medal for $50,000 for major contribution to research
1998 - Cancer Council NSW Travelling Award
1997 - DNA Methylation Imprinting and the Epigenetics of Cancer, AACR, Research Presentation Award, Puerto Rico
1978 - Commonwealth Post Graduate Research Award
1976 - CRAC Undergraduate Exchange Travelling Award to study at Cambridge
1975 - Commonwealth University Scholarship
My Research Activities
Research
Overview
Deciphering the human genome sequence has re-shaped our view of gene organisation and regulation and provided a new basis for our understanding of biological processes in health and disease. The way in which the genomic information is organized within the cell, through epigenetic processes plays a major role in regulating gene expression. The Clark Laboratory and others have shown that epigenetic processes go beyond DNA-stored information, are essential for packaging and interpreting the genome, are fundamental to normal development and cell differentiation, and are involved in human disease. The establishment of epigenetic states typically involves DNA methylation, histone modifications, positioning of histone variants, nucleosome remodelling, and non-coding RNA. These epigenetic states, which can be inherited from cell to cell, regulate gene expression patterns in concert with transcription factors and other DNA-binding proteins, to govern the development of the > 250 cell types in the human body. While the DNA sequence is identical in diverse cell types, their epigenetic profiles are very distinct. Why is this important? Modulation of these epigenetic profiles significantly contributes to embryonic development, differentiation, and cell identity, and underlies responses to environmental signals (e.g., hormones, nutrients, stress, and damage), and most critically extensive disruption of the epigenetic state is a defining landmark feature in all cancer types.
VISION: to provide a research environment to build new capacity in cancer epigenomics research and its translation to health care in Australia. Our challenge for the next five years is to more deeply understand epigenome biology and the mechanisms controlling and regulating the DNA methylation and 3D chromatin conformation patterns of cells and to use this knowledge to improve cancer management through
- elucidating how disruption of spatial and temporal epigenetic processes contributes to cancer etiology, particularly in the context of hormonal regulation in prostate and breast cancers;
- mediating the translation of this knowledge to improve human health outcomes, through validation of epigenetic-based biomarkers and pre-clinical assessment of epigenetic therapies;
- fostering new opportunities for our young talented researchers to build their careers in cancer epigenetics research and expand Australia’s capacity in 3D integrative epigenomics.
My Research Supervision
Areas of supervision
PhD Students (primary supervisor at UNSW)
1998-2002: Peter Warnecke
1998-2002: John Melki
2002-2006: Jordi Frigola
2004-2008: Carlos Guerrero-Bosagna
2007-2011: Regina Major
2008-2012: Rebecca Hinshelwood
2008-2012: Eric Wiklund
2008-2012: Brian Gloss
2008-2013: Aaron Statham
2009-2013: Warwick Locke
2009-2014: Saul Bert
2010-2015: Tennille Sibbritt
2010-2015: Zena Kassir
2012-2016: Hilal Varinli
2013-2016: Melissa Thomas
2013-2017: Ksenia Skvortsova
2013-2018: Amanda Khoury
2013-2018: Qian Du
2014-2018: Kate Giles
2016-2020: Yolanda Colino-Sanguino
2022- Present: Elyssa Campbell
My Engagement
2021-Current: Member, Advisory Board: Trends in Genetics
2017-Current: Member, Editorial Board: Cancer Epigenetics
2014-Current: Member, Editorial Board: Epigenomes
2012: Member, Roadmap Signature Initiative peer review committee
2011-2017: Member, Scientific Advisory Board: European BLUEPRINT consortium
2011: Member, AACR Cancer Epigenome Task Force: Inaugural Steering Committee
2011-Current: Member, Editorial Board: Epigenomics
2011: Member, Canadian Epigenetics, Environment and Health Research Consortium (CEEHRC)
2009-Current: Member, Scientific Advisory Board: Institute of Predictive and Personalized Medicine of Cancer (IMPPC), Barcelona Spain
2009-2011: Member, International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC): interim steering group
2008-Current: Member, Asian Epigenome Alliance: Australian representative
2008-2009: Inaugural member, Epigenetics RoadMap technology development, USA
2006-2008: Inaugural member, International Human Epigenome Task Force, USA
2002-2009: Member, Scientific Advisory Board Member: Epigenomics, Berlin, Germany
2002: Special Editorship: Methods in Enzymology: Issue on DNA Methylation
2001-2004: Member, Editorial Board: Biochemical Journal, UK
1997-2007: Member, Board of the International DNA Methylation Society (DMS), USA
2020-current: Member of the Prime Ministers Science Prize Committee (Australian Academy of Science Representative)
2019-current: Member, Indigenous Health Research Expert Advisory Panel (MRFF)
2019-2021: Chair, Sectional 8 Committee, Australian Academy of Science
2018-2020: Member, Gottschalk Medal Award Committee, Australian Academy of Science
2017-2019: Member, Sectional 8 Committee, Australian Academy of Science
2017-2019: Member, Boden Research Conference Award Committee, Australian Academy of Science
2014-Current: Member, Medical Advisory Board, The Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation
2013-2017: Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, Sydney Catalyst
2011: External Advisor: ACRF Centre for Cancer Genomic Medicine, Monash Health Translational Precinct
2008-Current: President and Founder of the Australian Epigenome Alliance (AEpiA)
Local Committee & Board Membership
2019-Current: Member, Executive Leadership Team, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2012-2018: Member, Executive Management Group, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2012-2015: Member, Executive Management Committee, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre
2012-2014: Chair of Career Development, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2010-2013: Chair, Appointments & Promotions Committee, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2010-2013: Chair, Bioinformatics Committee, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2004-2012: Member, Cancer Program Management committee, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2004-2015: Chair, Australian Cancer Research Facility (ACRF), Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2004-2009: Deputy Chair, Higher Degree Committee, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2004: Chair, Senior Scientists Committee (SSG), Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2002-2008: Chair, Research Advisory Committee, Sydney Cancer Centre
2002-2004: Member, Medical Foundation Building Occupants Committee
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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5925-5030