DR VANTA JAMESON

Vanta is a cell biologist and cytometrist, managing the Peter Doherty Institute (PDI) cytometry SRL, the largest of four cytometry nodes at the University of Melbourne’s Cytometry Platform (MCP). She was granted her BSc (Hons) (1999) and PhD (2006) from the University of Melbourne (Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute) and continued her scientific career as a postdoctoral researcher (Monash University, 2007-2012). Vanta’s research spanning adult haemopoietic and then embryonic stem cell biology commenced in the early 2000's and pushed the limits of flow cytometry instrumentation and immunophenotyping. Her daily exposure to cytometry contributed to her deep appreciation of the crucial nature of sample and experimental optimisation and a deep curiosity for the technology. During her postdoctoral appointment, she became the resident educator of newcomers to cytometry. Her love of cytometry prompted a move into cytometry SRL management, where, starting in 2012 she oversaw the inception and growth of the University of Melbourne Brain Centre’s cytometry SRL for 10 years. She took on management of the PDI cytometry SRL in 2022 where she now oversees a team of cytometrist and technicians and 16 cell sorters/ analysers. With over a decade's first-hand experience as a medical research scientist and in her 13th year managing a SRL, she is passionate about cytometry and teaching to achieve robust, reproducible and publishable data.