Dr Jing Jing Wang has been named leading emerging innovator in the 2019 Winnovation Awards, recognising her groundbreaking research that is identifying molecular 'signatures' to tackle increasingly prevalent autoimmune diseases.
The Flinders University researcher was a finalist in two categories of the awards that celebrate South Australia's women innovators – science and emerging innovator – with a new way to purify and sequence antibodies for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic autoimmune diseases.
These include rheumatoid arthritis, primary Sjögren's syndrome and lupus, a poorly understood group that commonly affect young and middle-aged women.
Dr Wang's research focuses on outcomes that can be readily translated in practice, using sophisticated technology.
She has identified immunoglobulin variable (IgV) region molecular signatures for specific autoantibodies, which are then applied in a novel platform to identify protective and/or pathogenic clones in patients, providing early markers for autoimmune diseases.
The signatures can also be used to guide clinical treatment through identifying which clones respond well to treatment and others that are resistant.
Dr Wang's new technology has strong potential to replace conventional autoantibody testing methods.
This year has seen her broaden her pioneering research with the global medical community, including presenting at the 2019 Asia Pacific League Against Rheumatism Congress in Brisbane, and later this October at the International Union of Immunology Societies Conference in Beijing.
South Australia's Winnovation Awards showcase the state's top female innovators who are changing the game in their fields. The 2019 winners were announced on 3 October at a National Wine Centre event.
