Staff Profile
Career Summary
Biography
After obtaining her PhD in Neuroscience in 1992 from the University Louis-Pasteur in Strasbourg, France, Dr. Estelle Sontag undertook postdoctoral training and was promoted in 2003 to the rank of Associate Professor of Pathology at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, TX, a top-ranked Medical school in the USA. Since 2009, she is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy, at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Dr. Sontag is internationally recognized in the field of protein phosphatase 2A and its role in cell transformation and Alzheimer’s disease. Her research has been funded by the NIH in the USA and the NHMRC in Australia. She has published >35 papers in top-ranked journals and is regularly invited as speaker at international meetings. She is also a member of international journal editorial and grant reviewing boards.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Louis Pasteur University - Strasbourg, 27/03/1992
Research
Research keywords
- Alzheimer's disease
- Cell adhesion
- Cell transformation
- Folate metabolism
- PP2A
- Signal transduction
Research expertise
- Biochemist and molecular and cell biologist with 20 years expertise in the field of protein phosphatase 2A and its role in signal transduction, cell transformation and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Continuous research funding by the NIH in the USA and the NHMRC in Australia.
- Has published 37 papers in top-ranked journals
Languages
- English
- French
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 110900 | Neurosciences | 50 |
| 060199 | Biochemistry And Cell Biology Not Elsewhere Classified | 35 |
| 060699 | Physiology Not Elsewhere Classified | 15 |
Memberships
Committee/Associations (relevant to research).
- Member - American Society for Cell Biology
- Member - Society for Microbiology
- Member - Australian Neuroscience Society
- Member - Society for Neuroscience
Editorial Board.
- Member - Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology
Collaboration
Current collaborators:
- Teodoro Bottiglieri, Professor of biomedical studies at Baylor University, and Senior research scientist at the Baylor University Medical Center Institute of Metabolic Disease in Dallas, Texas, USA
- Dr. Russel Nichols, Columbia University, NY, USA
- Dr. Sarah Commerford, UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
- Dr. Charles L White III, UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
- Prof. Shelley Halpain, University of California San Diego, CA, USA
- A/Prof Egon Ogris, University of Vienna, Austria
- Dr. Liz Milward, University of Newcastle, Australia
Administrative
Administrative expertise
School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy Executive Committee
Teaching
Teaching keywords
- Biochemistry
- Cell biology
- Medical biochemistry
- Neuroscience
Teaching expertise
MEDI1012 Introduction to Medical Science - Lecturer
MEDI1015 Medical Science 1 - Lecturer
MEDI2012 Medical Science 2 - Lecturer
MEDI2014 Medical Science 3 - Lecturer
MEDI3017 Chronic Diseases and Sub-Speciality Clinical Practice 1- Lecturer
MEDI3018 Chronic Diseases and Sub-Speciality Clinical Practice 2- Lecturer
PHAR6123 Human Genomics and Biomolecular Analysis for Pharmacy -Lecturer and Tutor
HUBS2209 Human Molecular Science -Course coordinator and lecturer
HUBS2207 Human Metabolic and Nutritional Biochemistry- Lecturer and tutor
HUBS3403 Neuroscience- Lecturer
HUBS3409 Projects in Biomedical Science- Review of literature projects
Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 4 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $515,563 |
For project grants received where the lead institution is other than the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics.
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
2013 (2 grants)
Leica TP 1020 Automatic Tissue Processor for histology applications$35,000
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Pradeep Tanwar, Professor Eileen McLaughlin, Professor Xu Dong Zhang, Professor Robert Callister, Associate Professor Phillip Dickson, Professor Hubert Hondermarck, Doctor Jean-Marie Sontag, Professor Dirk Van Helden, Doctor Doug Smith, Doctor Phil Jobling, Associate Professor Estelle Sontag, Associate Professor Paul Tooney, Doctor Susan Hua, Doctor Janet Holt, Doctor Jay Horvat, Associate Professor Liz Milward, Professor Adam McCluskey, Associate Professor Brett Nixon, Doctor Rebecca Lim, Associate Professor Alan Brichta | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Equipment Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $35,000 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1201185 | ||
Ultra-Low Temperature Cryogenic Freezer$24,596
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doctor Jude Weidenhofer, Doctor Rick Thorne, Doctor Kathryn Skelding, Doctor Nikki Verrills, Doctor Pradeep Tanwar, Associate Professor Phillip Dickson, Doctor Murray Cairns, Professor Hubert Hondermarck, Professor Xu Dong Zhang, Associate Professor Estelle Sontag, Doctor Chen Chen Jiang, Associate Professor Liz Milward, Doctor Jean-Marie Sontag, Associate Professor Paul Tooney, Doctor Severine Roselli, Doctor Matt Dun, Doctor Chris Dayas, Doctor Lin Kooi Ong, Professor Dirk Van Helden, Mr Ben Copeland, Ms Gabrielle Briggs, Conjoint Professor Leonie Ashman, Professor John Rostas | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Equipment Grant | Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $24,596 | 2013 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1201189 | ||
2012 (1 grants)
2012 FASEB Science Research Conferences - Protein phosphatases, Snowmass Colorado, 15 - 20 July 2012$1,500
Funding Body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Associate Professor Estelle Sontag | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Travel Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $1,500 | 2012 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1200536 | ||
2011 (1 grants)
Protein Phosphatase 2A methylation: Regulation and functional significance for tauopathies$454,467
Funding Body: NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council)
| Project Team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Associate Professor Estelle Sontag, Doctor Jean-Marie Sontag | ||
| Scheme | Role | |
| Project Grant | Chief Investigator | |
| Total Amount | Funding Start | Funding Finish |
| $454,467 | 2011 | 2013 |
| GNo:G1000241 | ||
Research Supervision
| Number of current supervisions | 1 |
|---|---|
| Total current UoN PhD EFTSL | 0.25 |
For supervisions undertaken at an institution other that the University of Newcastle, details are shown in italics, and the institution name is listed below the program name.
Current Supervision
| Commenced | Proposed Completion | Program | Supervisor Type | Research Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2015 | PhD (Medical Biochemistry) | Co-Supervisor | Roles of Fat in Cadherins in Neuronal Differentiation and in Progression of Neurological Malignancies |
Associate Professor Estelle Sontag
| Work Phone | (02) 4921 6239 |
|---|---|
| Fax | (02) 4921 7903 |
| Estelle.Sontag@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Position | Associate Professor (02) 4921 5018 School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy Faculty of Health and Medicine |
| Focus Area | Medical Biochemistry |
| Office | LS3-34, Life Sciences, Callaghan University Drive Callaghan NSW 2308 Australia |
| URL: | www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/estelle-sontag |
Research Networks
