Dr. Aurélie Benfield obtained a Bachelor of Biotechnology Innovation with First Class Honours and a PhD in Plant Biotechnology from Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Following her studies, she gained extensive experience as a senior research assistant at the Institute for Molecular Biosciences (IMB) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). In 2021, she transitioned to a postdoctoral role within A/Prof Sónia Henriques’s research group at QUT, based at the Translational Research Institute (TRI).
Aurélie’s research is centered on antimicrobial active peptides, with a particular focus on their mechanisms of action. Currently, her work also aims to characterize the lipid composition of cancer cell membranes, including melanoma cells with acquired drug resistance. By integrating her expertise in peptide therapeutics, lipidomics, membrane biology, and molecular biophysics, Aurélie has made significant contributions to understanding the interactions between biologically active peptides and cancer cell membranes.