Current Lab Members
Melanie Carless, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Carless received her bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia. Her research is focused on identifying epigenetic factors associated with complex diseases, and in understanding how these might contribute to disease risk and be leveraged as potential novel therapies. To accomplish this, she combines human, animal and cell-based systems. Rapid advancements in biomedical research necessitate a degree of plasticity, and as such, her research program has transformed significantly over the years to incorporate aspects of both basic and translational research. Some of her current projects involve utilizing epigenetic editing techniques to study Alzheimer’s disease, identifying peripheral miRNA biomarkers associated with neuroanatomical variation, and investigating epigenetic factors associated with energy balance, cellular energy metabolism, and obesity. Dr. Carless is committed to the development of young scientists and often involves herself with mentorship and leadership opportunities. In her spare time, she hikes and trains in martial arts and self-defense tactics and enjoys spending time with her kids, dogs and friends.
Contact: Melanie.Carless@utsa.edu