Rate My Professor Jude Weidenhofer

Dr. Jude Weidenhofer is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Biochemistry within the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy at the University of Newcastle, Australia, part of the College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing. She earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Medical and Applied Biotechnology (Honours) from Charles Sturt University Wagga and a PhD in 2006 from the University of Newcastle, where her thesis examined the molecular and cellular role of the amygdala in the aetiology of schizophrenia. After completing her doctorate, she conducted postdoctoral research from July 2006 to May 2008 at The Children's Hospital at Westmead in the Molecular Oncology Group, investigating the role of TPD52 in breast development and breast cancer. In 2008, she returned to the University of Newcastle as a teaching-focused academic and, under the supervision of Professor Leonie Ashman, developed her independent research program. Since 2011, she has led her own research group. Currently, she serves as Expert Taught Courses Convenor, Deputy Head of School (Education), Co-Director of Biospecimen Services, and Deputy Chair of the Institutional Biosafety Committee. She also represented New South Wales for the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from 2012 to 2015 and has contributed to organising committees for symposiums, research seminar series, and other events. She has coordinated several courses at the university.

Dr. Weidenhofer's research focuses on the roles of tetraspanin proteins CD151, CD9, and CD82 in breast and prostate cancers, where deregulated expression suggests functions as tumour or metastasis enhancers (CD151) or suppressors (CD9 and CD82). She studies molecular regulation mechanisms including miRNAs and the ubiquitin system, aiming to develop these proteins as prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets for metastatic disease. Her work extends to extracellular vesicles and exosomes as biomarkers in liquid biopsies for monitoring cancer progression and metastasis. Key funding includes a grant from Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia, in collaboration with Professor Leonie Ashman, for evaluating tetraspanins as prognostic markers in prostate cancer biopsies, and HMRI funding from a CFMEU Northern Mining and Energy Division donation to explore CD9 expression in exosomes from progressing prostate cancer. Selected publications comprise the book chapter 'Isolation of nucleic acids from hard tissues' (2009, co-authored with J.A. Byrne), the chapter 'Genetics' (2020), and 'Extracellular vesicles with altered tetraspanin CD9 and CD151 levels confer increased prostate cell motility and invasion' (2018). Her contributions advance diagnostic precision for prostate and breast cancers, mitigating issues with PSA tests and mammography.