Biography
Dr. Clara Liu Chung Ming is a Research Officer at the Heart Research Institute under Prof. Julie McMullen, specializing in bioengineering advanced 3D in vitro models to study human heart pathophysiology and cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity. Her work includes developing the "heart attack-in-a-Petri-dish" model and investigating drug-induced cardiotoxicity using patient-derived stem cells. She has also pioneered research on acetylcholine-nanoparticles—a naturally occurring compound in the body—demonstrating their protective role against myocardial infarction and drug-induced heart failure in both cell and mouse models.
Clara's research extends to studying the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on human heart pathophysiology and bioengineering models of pre-eclampsia-induced heart failure using stem cells from patient’s blood. Her contributions have been recognized with multiple awards, including the FEIT HDR Women in Engineering and IT Award (2021), ASBTE Rapid Fire Presentation Award (2022), NSW Education Waratah Scholarship (2022–2024), Royal Society NSW Scholarship (2022), ASM PhD Rising Star Award (2023), Dean’s Award (2024) and Chancellor’s Award (2024) for best thesis at University of Technology Sydney.
Selected Publications
Liu Chung Ming, C., Johansen, M.#, Gentile, C#, Modelling the Complex Microenvironment for SARS-CoV-2 Infection using 3D in vitro Cardiac Spheroids (Biofabrication: IF: 8.3; submitted 19/07/24).
Tarsitano, M., Liu Chung Ming, C., Bennar, L., Mahmodi, H., Wylie, K., Paolino., Cox, T., Kabakova, I., Ralph, P., and Gentile, C, Sericin-Based Hydrogels for Cardiac Tissue Engineering. International Journal of Bioprinting: IF: 6.8
Liu Chung Ming, C., Patil, R., Lal, S., Wang, X., and Gentile, C*, Acetylcholine-mediated exerts cardiac protection against Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity Biofabrication: IF: 8.9
Liu Chung Ming, C., Beck, D., Patil, R., Vettori, L., Wang, X.*, and Gentile, C*, Acetylcholine-loaded nanoparticles mediated protection against I/R in 3D in vitro model and myocardial infarction in murine model. Advanced Functional Materials: IF: 19; under review – submitted 18/06/24.
Chung Ming, C.L., Pienaar, D., Ghorbanpour, S. et al. 3D in vitro modelling of post-partum cardiovascular health reveals unique characteristics and signatures following hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Biol Sex Differ 15, 94 (2024). (Biology of Sex Differences: IF: 10.2).
Tarsitano, M., Liu Chung Ming, C., Bennar, L., Mahmodi, H., Wylie, K., Paolino., Cox, T., Kabakova, I., Ralph, P., and Gentile, C, Chlorella-enriched hydrogels protect against myocardial damage and reactive oxygen species production in an in vitro ischemia/reperfusion model using cardiac spheroids (Biofabrication: IF: 8.3).
Liu Chung Ming, C., Wang, X*., and Gentile, C*, Protective Role of Acetylcholine and the Cholinergic System in the Injured Heart. (iScience; IF 4.76).
Vettori, L., Tran, A.H., Mahmodi Sheikh Sarmast, H., Filipe, E.C., Liu Chung Ming, C., Cox, T.R., Tipper, J., Kabakova, I.V., Rnjak-Kovacina, J., and Gentile, C, Silk fibroin increases the elasticity of alginate gelatin hydrogels and regulates cardiac cell contractile function in cardiac bioinks, 2024, 16 (3), 035025 (Biofabrication: IF: 8.3).
Bahrami, H., Vettori, L., Liu Chung Ming, C., Puppo, E., Perry, S., Gentile, C., and Pietroni, N, Physically-based simulation of elastic-plastic fusion of 3D bioprinted spheroids, 2023, 15 (4), 045021 (Biofabrication: IF: 8.3).
Sharma, P., Liu Chung Ming, C., and Gentile, C, In vitro Modeling of Myocardial Ischaemia/Reperfusion Injury using 3D Cardiac Spheroids, 2022, 3 (4), 101751 (STAR Protocols: IF: 1.30).
Sharma, P., Liu Chung Ming, C., Wang, X., Bienvenu, L., Figtree, G., Boyle, A., and Gentile, C, Biofabrication of Advanced in vitro 3D Models to Study Ischaemic and Doxorubicin-induced Myocardial Infarction Damage, 2022, 14 (2), 025003 (Biofabrication: IF: 8.3).
Liu Chung Ming, C., Ben-Sefer, E., and Gentile, C. Stem Cell-based 3D Bioprinting for Cardiovascular Tissue Regeneration, Advanced Technologies in Cardiovascular Bioengineering, 2022, 281-312 (Springer: IF: 2.495).
Liu Chung Ming, C., Sesperez, K., Ben-Sefer, E., Arpon, D., McGrath, K., McClements, L., and Gentile, C. Considerations for Advanced Cardiac Models to Study Preeclampsia and Other Cardiovascular Diseases, 2021, 10 (4), 899 (Cells: IF: 4.829).
Sharma, P., Wang, X., Liu Chung Ming, C., Vettori, L., Figtree, G., Boyle, A., and Gentile, C. Considerations for the Bioengineering of Advanced Cardiac in vitro Models of Myocardial Infarction, Advanced in vitro Models for Replacement of Animal Experiments, 2021, 17 (15), 2003765 (Small: IF: 11.459).
Polonchuk, L., Surija, L., Lee, M. H., Sharma, P., Liu Chung Ming, C., Richter, F., Ben-Sefer, E., Rad, M. A., Mahmodi Sheikh Sarmast, H., Shamery, W. A., Tran, H. A., Vettori, L., Haeusermann, F., Filipe, E. C., Rnjak-Kovacina, J., Cox, T., Tipper, J., Kabakova, I., & Gentile, C. Engineering Heart tissues from Bioprinted Cardiac Spheroids, 2021, 13 (4), 045009 (Biofabrication: IF: 8.3).
Richards, C., Sesperez, K., Chhor, M., Ghorbanpour, S., Rennie, C., Ming, C. L. C., Evenhuis, C., Nikolic, V., Orlic, N. K., Mikovic, Z., Stefanovic, M., Cakic, Z., McGrath, K., Gentile, C., Bubb, K., & McClements, L. Characterisation of cardiac health in the reduced uterine perfusion pressure model and a 3D cardiac spheroid model of preeclampsia, 2021, 12, 1-14 (Biology of Sex Differences: IF: 3.267).