Dr Lisa Ebert
(BSc. Hons, PhD)
Senior Research Fellow, Translational Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Biology
Affiliate Senior Lecturer, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide
Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia
Dr Lisa Ebert has spent over 20 years researching the immune system, cancer, and interactions between the two. She completed her PhD in 2002 at the University of Adelaide, and then undertook postdoctoral positions at the University of Bern (Switzerland) and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (Melbourne).
During this time, she developed a focus on immune control of cancer, and using this knowledge to develop and improve cancer immunotherapies. In 2011, she returned to Adelaide at the Centre for Cancer Biology – a unique alliance between the South Australian public health system and the University of South Australia.
Over the course of her research career, Dr Ebert has received >$3.2M in competitive research funding and published 42 peer-reviewed articles, including 24 as first, shared-first or senior author. Her work has been published in top-tier journals including J Exp Med, Immunity, Cancer Res and Clin Cancer Res and her publications have received >2,600 citations.
Her current research is focused on developing innovative immune-based therapies for brain cancer, and identifying key factors which determine the success of checkpoint blockade immunotherapy in melanoma patients. These studies are conducted at the interface between laboratory and clinic, with close ties to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Current Projects & Areas of Interest:
Dr Ebert’s research is conducted within the Centre for Cancer Biology’s Translational Oncology program, directed by Prof Michael Brown. Current projects with a focus on brain cancer include:
Development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies for adult glioblastoma and paediatric diffuse midline glioma (DMG/DIPG) – including pre-clinical development and clinical trials.
Analyses of the tumour microenvironment in human glioblastoma, including single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq), spatial transcriptomics, high parameter flow cytometry and histology.
Development of an extensive biobank of patient glioblastoma specimens, in collaboration with the South Australian Neurological Tumour Bank (SANTB) and other researchers at the CCB; including glioma neural stem (GNS) cell lines, cultured tumour explants/organoids, orthotopic xenografts, dissociated cryopreserved viable cells and OCT-embedded fresh tissue.