About
- About AHMB
- Our team
Information
- For Donors
- For Researchers
News
Get Involved

About
- About AHMB
- Our team
Information
- For Donors
- For Researchers
News
Get Involved

Our team

The team who are building the Australian Human Microbiome Biobank are scientists and researchers from across Australia, and the world.

We have a passion for using microbiology to answer important questions about the role of microbial communities in human and environmental health. Our team develops new laboratory and computational methods to help carry out this work. We are based within the Centre for Microbiome Research, co-located at the Translational Research Institute.

Learn more about CMR

Meet the team

Prof. Gene Tyson

Director, Centre for Microbiome Research

Professor Gene Tyson founded the Centre for Microbiome Research in 2020 and currently serves as Director of the AHMB. Gene is an internationally recognised expert in the development and application of meta-omic and bioinformatic approaches to understand complex microbial communities.

His current research focuses on disentangling the role of the human microbiome in human health and disease, including inflammatory bowel disease, anxiety and depression, among others.

Over the past few years, Gene’s dedicated team has focused on developing the innovative high-throughput cultivation platform that forms the foundation of the AHMB.

Dr. Suzanne McCusker

Centre Manager, Centre for Microbiome Research

As Centre Manager at the Centre for Microbiome Research, Dr Suzanne McCusker oversees the operations, logistics and maintenance of the biobank. Suzanne is a molecular biologist who brings a PhD in cancer biology and over five years’ experience in clinical testing labs, where she led the development of quality controls for diagnostic testing.

With her extensive experience working in International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-accredited laboratories, Suzanne is leading efforts to obtain National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accreditation (the Australian equivalent of ISO) for the AHMB.

Charlotte Vivian

AHMB Facility Co-ordinator, Centre for Microbiome Research

Charlotte Vivian joined AHMB in 2024 where she is leading efforts to obtain National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accreditation for the AHMB. She oversees the quality and governance of the biobank, and ensures we meet all local and national laws regarding biobanks and donor privacy.

Prior to that, Charlotte worked at Microba Life Sciences for 4 years where she developed her expertise in gut microbiology. At Microba, Charlotte isolated fastidious gut bacteria and helped assess their therapeutic efficacy in support of Microba’s Therapeutics programs. Several of these species were previously uncultured and her efforts have provided new insights into the functional capacities of these species.

Dr. Kaylyn Tousignant

Human Microbiome Project Manager and Scientific Writer, Centre for Microbiome Research

Dr Kaylyn Tousignant is a molecular biologist with a research interest in the role of the microbiome in human health and disease. In her role as a scientific writer, she develops content for scientific communities, clinicians, and the general public.

In addition to managing AHMB ethics, Kaylyn will help coordinate AHMB activities with relevant stakeholders.

Dr. James Volmer

Postdoctoral Researcher, Centre for Microbiome Research

Having completed his PhD in Microbiology at the University of Queensland in 2022, James has since been working to develop innovative high-throughput methods for culturing novel anaerobic microorganisms from human and other animal microbiomes.

James is a key member of the AHMB research and development team and has a keen interest in better understanding the role of the human microbiome in health and disease.

Dr. Allison McInnes

Senior Flow Cytometry Scientist, Centre for Microbiome Research

As the Senior Flow Cytometry Scientist, Dr Allison McInnes oversees the Centre’s flow sorting facility. With a PhD in Biological Oceanography, Dr. McInnes has a strong background in microbial ecology. She has over 10 years in flow cytometry and cell sorting and has led the development of the high-throughput single-cell identification and isolation platform that feeds into the biobank.

Allison’s professional goal is to develop and optimise methodologies that will allow scientists to conduct microbial ecology on ecologically relevant time and space scales. High-throughput, inexpensive, yet detailed knowledge is required to understand microbes, their interactions, and their effects on their environments.

A/Prof. Simon McIlroy

Deputy Director, Centre for Microbiome Research

Dr Simon McIlroy is an expert in the application of single-cell visualisation techniques for studying complex microbial communities. He has used these methods to study microbial communities from diverse ecosystems, spanning wastewater treatment plants, thawing permafrost and the human microbiome.

Simon has been involved in the development of the innovative cultivation platform that is the foundation of the AHMB.

Siobhan Ingram

AHMB Senior Research Assistant, Centre for Microbiome Research

Siobhan is a senior research assistant within the AHMB laboratory team, with an MPhil in Genomic Medicine from the University of Cambridge.

Since joining the team in 2022, she has been a key member responsible for ensuring the successful anaerobic cultivation and banking of microbial isolates, as well as providing general lab assistance to researchers in various projects. Additionally, Siobhan is part of the flow sorting (FACS) team and has been trained in the high throughput isolation of anaerobic microorganisms from mixed community samples.

Ana Astorga Alsina

AHMB Research Assistant, Centre for Microbiome Research

Ana is a Research Assistant at AHMB, with a Research Masters in Infection and Immunity obtained from Erasmus University Rotterdam.

She has been a key member of our laboratory team since joining in 2023. Ana’s primary responsibilities at AHMB include the anaerobic isolation, cultivation, and banking of microorganisms sourced from the gut microbiome. Beyond these tasks, she supports the acquisition team and contributes to the maintenance of our biobank. Before joining AHMB, Ana served as a research assistant in Poland, where her contributions spanned the development of enzybiotics and the cultivation of biofilms.

Maddy Yule

Logistics & Research Assistant, Centre for Microbiome Research

Maddy completed her Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Hons) at the University of Queensland in 2022, with predominant focus on novel therapeutic strategies using repurposed drugs for neurodegenerative diseases. Since completing her undergraduate degree, she has gained experience working in research and academia labs.

Within the AHMB team she has been integral in the operations and logistics, supporting the establishment of the AHMB both in and out of the laboratory.

Anasruta Das

AHMB Research Assistant, Microba Life Sciences

Anasruta is a research assistant at the collaborative junction between the Centre for Microbiome Research and Microba Life Sciences. With a research-based Masters focused on drug research and development from the University of Queensland, she worked with animal model-based treatment strategies for Type I Diabetes at the Translational Research Institute.

At AHMB, Anasruta’s tasks comprise of the isolation, cultivation, and maintenance of anaerobic gut bacteria for banking purposes. Anasruta assists with the maintenance of the biobank and general lab responsibilities.