Meet-your-teachers: From Perth to Scandinavia, Emily McLeish is Championing Innovation in Medical Science

Dr Emily McLeish (she/her), a proud MMFS alumna, is making waves on the international stage with her ground-breaking research into the health of preterm infants. This July, with support from the BrightSpark Foundation, Murdoch University, and the Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Emily embarked on a transformative research trip to Denmark and Sweden. Her primary destination was Aalborg University in Denmark, where she spent several weeks collaborating with Professor Allan Stensballe and Martin Thesbjerg at the Platform for Advanced Technologies in Omics and Biomedical Imaging (PLATO).

During her time in Aalborg, Emily immersed herself in advanced proteomics training, learning new laboratory techniques to analyse the protein signatures associated with sepsis in neonates. She participated in hands-on lab work, gaining practical experience with state-of-the-art mass spectrometry and bioinformatics pipelines. These skills are crucial for dissecting the complex biological processes underlying early-life infections. Emily also contributed to ongoing collaborative projects, sharing her expertise in machine learning to help PLATO researchers interpret high-dimensional biomedical data. Beyond the lab, Emily engaged in scientific exchange with local researchers, discussing potential joint studies and presenting her own work to the international research community.

Following her stay in Denmark, Emily travelled to Sweden to visit leading neonatal research centres and attend a symposium on paediatric infectious diseases. These experiences broadened her perspective on the global challenges facing preterm infants and fostered new collaborations that will continue well beyond her visit. The trip not only expanded Emily’s technical toolkit but also enriched the international network that supports her mission to improve long-term outcomes for vulnerable newborns. 

Emily’s passion lies in understanding how early-life infections and inflammation can influence brain development in preterm babies. Her research seeks to uncover early biological markers of disruption, with the ultimate goal of predicting and preventing poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. At present, Emily is developing a multimodal AI model that weaves together brain imaging, proteomics data, and clinical information, aiming to identify which babies are most at risk of developmental challenges after birth.

A true scientist at heart, Emily enjoys working across a range of platforms—from multi-omics and proteomics to immuno-assays, MRI brain imaging, and machine learning.

Her journey began with undergraduate studies at MMFS and continued with a PhD at the Institute for Immunology and Infectious Disease (IIID, Murdoch University), where she specialised in ageing, autoimmunity, bioinformatics, and AI. Now, her work sits at the intersection of multiple fields, bringing together diverse data to tackle real-world health problems.

Emily credits her research experience for shaping her approach to teaching. “Mindset is just as important as technical skills,” she says. “My PhD taught me to embrace the unknown and see failure as a stepping stone, not a setback. I want my students to be curious, resourceful, and confident in facing uncertainty—it’s all part of the learning process.”

MMFS celebrates Emily’s inspiring achievements and looks forward to seeing the impact of her research both here in Western Australia and on the global stage.

Find out more about our Biomedical Science courses here: https://www.murdoch.edu.au/schools/medical-molecular-and-forensic-sciences/study/biomedical-science