Contact Details
University Links
- Position
- PhD Student
- Research summary
- Factors that contribute to heightened risk of cardiovascular disease
- Memberships
- Secretary for the Association for Postgraduate Students of Otago, Christchurch (PSOC) Executive, 2023
- Student representative for the Education Committee, 2024-current
Research
Janny is a PhD student with the Christchurch Heart Institute under the Department of Medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch. Her supervisors are Dr Anna Pilbrow, Dr Lynley Lewis, Associate Professor John Pearson, Dr Andree Pearson, and Dr Arielle Sulit.
Janny is interested in how circulating biomarkers (including genetics) could be used to help identify people at risk of cardiovascular disease. Her work is focused on cardiac biomarkers and DNA sequence variants in blood samples generously donated for research by people with cardiovascular disease. She has a particular interest in identifying the factors that contribute to lower circulating levels of NT-proBNP in Pacific Peoples and discovering genetic factors that contribute to heightened risk of cardiovascular disease among New Zealand families with early-onset disease.
Janny completed her BSc (Hons) as the top graduate of her year at Monash University, with her research focused on antimicrobial resistance small RNA in pathogenic bacteria.
Publications
Lau, J. (2025, September). Prohormone enzyme in Aotearoa heart failure. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Research Week (QRW) Heart Satellite Meeting, Christchurch, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs