Dr Laura Vella
PhD
Location
Parkville Campus
30 Royal Parade
Parkville Victoria 3052
Research group
Extracellular Vesicle Group
Biography
Dr Vella completed her PhD in The Biochemistry and Molecular Department at The University of Melbourne on the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in neurodegenerative disorders. She received the Dean’s award for Excellence in a PhD Thesis, a formal recognition of outstanding PhD graduates, commended by their examiners for making an outstanding contribution to a particular field of research. She has been actively researching extracellular vesicles for over 15 years, was one of the first Australians scientists to publish in the field and is responsible for making some of the earliest discoveries on EVs in the central nervous system.
In 2019, she was appointed as Head of the Extracellular Vesicle Group at The Florey, coinciding with the award of a prestigious American Alzheimer’s Association Fellowship. Dr Vella is also the Research Integrity Advisor for the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at The University of Melbourne and Scientific Advisor to EV Therapeutic and Diagnostic Companies.
Career highlights
Current roles
- Group Head, Extracellular Vesicle Group, The Florey, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Research Integrity Advisor for The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Office for Research Ethics and Integrity, The University of Melbourne
- Honorary Fellow, The Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne
- Consultant to Extracellular Vesicle Biopharma
- Chair, International Taskforce on Tissue Extracellular Vesicles
Other highlights
- Overall Field Weighted Citation Impact 10.20
- H-index 22
Fellowships
- 2019–present: Alzheimer’s Association Fellowship (U.S.A)
- 2010: Viertel Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Dementia. Alzheimer’s Australia Research Ltd
Grant funding (since 2014)
- 2022–2025: Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Effective Treatments and Therapies (CIC)
- 2022–2024: Alzheimer’s Association Grant (U.S.A
- 2022–2023: mRNA Victoria Research Acceleration Fund
- 2022–2023: Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation (CIA)
- 2021–2023: Alzheimer’s Association RAPID Grant (U.S.A) (CIA)
- 2021–2022: CASS Foundation Medical Research Grant (CIA)
- 2019–2022: Alzheimer’s Association Fellowship (U.S.A) (CIA)
- 2019–2021: Perpetual Trustees IMPACT Philanthropy Grant (CIA)
- 2017: Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation John Shutes Project Grant (CIA)
- 2017: Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation (CIA)
- 2017: Motor Neuron Disease Research Institute of Australia Grant-in-Aid (CIB)
- 2015: The Wettenhall Establishment Grant (CIA)
- 2015: Cancer Research Trusts (CIA)
- 2014: The Dorothy Hill Memorial Trust Fund Grant (Equity Trustees)
Research projects
Awards and achievements
- 2020 — Future Exosome Leader ClaraBiotech Award (U.S.A)
- 2017 — The Florey Institute of Neuroscience Travel Award
- 2016 — Ian Potter Foundation Travel Award
- 2016 — The Merck-Millipore Postdoctoral Travel Award
- 2015 — Biomedical Research Victoria, Media Training Scholarship
- 2015 — International Society for Neurochemistry Travel Award
- 2014 — CASS Foundation Travel Grant
- 2013 — Harold Mitchell Travel Fellowship
- 2010 — Science at the Shine Dome ECR Scholarship
- 2009 — The University of Melbourne. Dean’s Award for Excellence in a PhD
- 2009 — Australian Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Fellowship