Patsie Polly BSc, PhD

Professor Patsie Polly (SFHEA) is a Scientia Education Fellow who is an Education Focussed Champion and Academic in the Department of Pathology within the School of Medical Sciences (SMS), Faculty of Medicine, UNSW. Patsie is recognized nationally as a medical scientist, a leading teacher, and an innovative education researcher. Patsie is a Scientia Education Fellow, Education Focussed Champion, and Professor in Pathology, within the School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Medicine. Patsie has infused her extensive medical research experience into the classroom by applying the latest laboratory research practice. Patsie strategically integrates adaptive lessons, ePortfolio pedagogy, and collaborative communities of practice to allow her students to learn these career-relevant skills. Her unique method blends virtual and real laboratory experiences to break new ground in engaging her students as researchers.

Patsie has led reflective ePortfolio implementation to develop deep learning of teamwork and communication competencies in students, contextualizing acquiring these skills for their future as medical researchers and health professionals. Patsie has been recognized with multiple institutional/national teaching awards, funding, and invited institutional/national/international presentations and peer-reviewed research outputs in research communication, virtual laboratory lessons, and ePortfolio use. Patsie is recognized internationally as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy-UK. Patsie is a board member and research special interest group chair for the US ePortfolio organization, AAEEBL.

Patsie has led the Cancer Cachexia Mechanisms Research Group within the Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Research unit, SMS since 2007. She has niche expertise in gene regulatory mechanisms underlying muscle wasting due to cancer cachexia and has developed gene and proteomic approaches for identifying biomarkers in muscle wasting. She is nationally and internationally recognized for molecular mechanisms of transcription factor-mediated gene regulation. Patsie has held three competitive international and national fellowships to conduct her research on gene regulation.