Dr Ashenafi Betrie
BPharm, MSc, PhD
Biography
Dr Ashenafi Betrie completed his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and master’s degree in pharmacology from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Following which, Dr Betrie then worked as a lecturer before pursuing his PhD. He completed his PhD in 2018 in cardiovascular pharmacology at the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Melbourne where he investigated the roles of transition metals, particularly zinc and iron, on the cardiovascular system.
Dr Betrie is passionate about understanding the mechanisms driving vascular dysfunction and finding treatments for cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. His work revealed a new mechanism of blood vessel tone regulation by cellular zinc, and an important cardiovascular role of Alzheimer’s tau protein, a canonically brain protein. Ashenafi was invited to present his work at several international and national conferences and departmental seminars. He is an inventor in 3 patents and has received awards and invitations at leading national and international societies such as Hypertension Australia and International Society for Zinc Biology.
Dr Betrie is committed to advocating for discovery research and increasing representation and opportunities for researchers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. He is a member of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance Emerging Leaders Committee, Hypertension Australia ECR committee and Australian & New Zealand Microcirculatory Society.
Key collaborators:
- Associate Professor Daniel Scott, The Florey
- Dr Alaa Abdul-Ridha, The Florey
- Dr Fazel Shabanpoor, The Florey
- Dr Makhala Khammy, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne
- Dr Michael De Silva at Latrobe University
- Professor Mark Nelson, University of Vermont, USA
- Dr Osama Haraz, University of Vermont, USA
Career highlights
Awards and achievements
- 2022 – Best paper Award by postdoctoral researcher, The Florey
- 2022 – Best ECR Poster Presentatio, the High Blood Pressure Council of Australia
- 2021 – John Collier Postdoctoral Travel Scholarship
- 2021 – ECR transition grant, the High Blood Pressure Council of Australia
- 2018 – Best oral presentation Award, Melbourne Biometals Symposium
- 2018 – Career Development Award, The Florey Postdoctoral Association (FPA)
- 2017 – Best oral presentation award, the High Blood Pressure Council of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting
- 2017 – Travel scholarship, the High Blood Pressure Council of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting
- 2014-2017 – Melbourne International Research Scholarship and Fee Remission Scholarship