Research Interests and Accomplishments

Desiree Petersen is a Staff Scientist in the Genomic Medicine group at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI). She is involved in research projects investigating global human diversity within populations to further establish the genetic basis of complex diseases and traits. In 2010, she was part of the collaborative research team that reported the complete sequencing of Khoisan (Bushmen) and Bantu genomes from Southern Africa. Additional research interests include defining the genetic structure of admixed populations and addressing their significance for identifying novel informative genetic markers for diseases such as prostate cancer.

Desiree received her Ph.D. degree (2006) in Health Sciences from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Her Ph.D. study focused on the identification of genetic factors that influence immune responses to HIV-1/AIDS in an African setting. She also holds a B.Sc. degree (1998) in Natural Sciences and a B.Sc. (Hons) degree (1999) and M.Sc. degree (2002) in Medical Sciences from the University of Stellenbosch. During her postgraduate studies, she performed research at the University of Maastricht in The Netherlands, National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland, U.S.A and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia. In 2006, she was recruited as a postdoctoral fellow to join the Cancer Genetics group under the leadership of Vanessa Hayes at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. Her research involved genetic analysis of inflammatory cytokines and their role in predisposition to prostate cancer. She relocated with the Cancer Genetics group in 2008 to the Children's Cancer Institute Australia where she was a Research Officer before joining the JCVI in 2011.

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