This week we’re thrilled to welcome Dr Balaji Somasundaram to QIMR Berghofer as the new General Manager of Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics. Dr Somasundaram brings deep expertise in biotechnology and advanced therapeutics. His leadership will be pivotal as Q-Gen continues to expand its capabilities in supporting clinical trials and translational research across cancer, infectious diseases and autoimmune conditions. Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics is Australia’s leading cell therapy contract manufacturing facility, based in Brisbane and operated by QIMR Berghofer. It specializes in the GMP-grade manufacture of T-cell therapies, supporting clinical trials and translational research across cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmune conditions. We’re excited to have Dr Somasundaram on board and can’t wait to see him hit the ground running as Q-Gen enters its next phase of growth and innovation. #CellTherapy #Biotech #QIMRBerghofer #QGen (fb)

New research illuminates sex differences in genetic risk for depression 🧬 Led by Drs Brittany Mitchell and Jodi Thomas in QIMR Berghofer’s Genetic #Epidemiology Lab, a large-scale analysis of DNA from over 480,000 participants revealed twice as many genetic markers linked to depression in females. The researchers found about 13,000 DNA changes potentially cause #depression in females. 7,000 of these DNA changes are shared with males, and 6,000 appear to influence depression in females only. Findings also suggest that genetic factors related to depression in females overlap with metabolic traits, which may help to explain why symptoms like weight gain and increased appetite are more common in females with depression. This study demonstrates the importance of considering sex-specific genetics in depression research and opens the door to personalised treatment pathways. 📍Read more: https://www.qimrb.edu.au/whats-on/news/qimr-berghofer-team-discovers-females-carry-a-higher-genetic-risk-of-depression 📍Read the paper in Nature Communications: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63236-1 #medicalresearchmatters #mentalhealth #genetics #QIMRBerghofer (fb)