Lizeth Orozco Morales
Postdoctoral Researcher
BSc, MSc, PhD
lizeth.orozco@thekids.org.au
Dr Lizeth Orozco is part of the Sarcoma Translational Research team and is currently working on improving responses to immunotherapy by targeting novel targets in combination with standard care of immunotherapy.
Lizeth graduated from ITESM campus Guadalajara, in Mexico, in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Biotechnology Engineering. She then completed a Master of Science in Stem Cell Technology in 2016 at the University of Nottingham in UK.
In 2018, Lizeth started her PhD at the National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases in Perth, Western Australia, focusing on mesothelioma and identification of novel therapy targets.
Early in 2023, she completed her PhD in Biomedical Sciences. In 2022, while completing her PhD, she was hired as a Research Officer in the Sarcoma Translational Research team where she also works as Biological Lead in Setonix Pharmaceuticals, in the project ‘Enhancing immuno-oncology with small molecules drugs’, with the main goal of targeting specific molecules to improve immunotherapy outcomes for cancer patients.
Find Dr Orozco Morales on ORCID.
Published research
Anti-metabolite chemotherapy increases LAG-3 expressing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes which can be targeted by combination immune checkpoint blockade
Antibodies that target immune checkpoints such as cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4, programmed cell death protein/ligand 1 are approved for treatment of multiple cancer types.
Local therapy with combination TLR agonists stimulates systemic anti-tumor immunity and sensitizes tumors to immune checkpoint blockade
Education and Qualifications
- Oct 2018 - Feb 2023 - PhD Candidate. The University of Western Australia (UWA). National Centre for Asbestos Related Diseases (NCARD) WA, Australia. School of Biomedical Sciences.
- Research project: Identifying novel therapeutic targets in mesothelioma
- Sept 2015 - Sept 2016 - MSc Stem Cell Technology. The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. Graduated with distinction award.
- Research project: Investigation into the potential of corneal stromal stem cells as an anti-inflammatory therapy using an in vitro injury model. Academic Ophthalmology.
- Aug 2009 - Dec 2013 - BSc Biotechnology Engineering. Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), Campus Guadalajara. Jalisco, Mexico. Graduated with distinction award. Major: Molecular biology
Awards/Honours
- 2022 University of Western Australia and Genomics WA Award for Best presentation in Fundamental or Basic Research. Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) Medical Research Week. Perth, Australia.
- 2020 UWA Alumni Fund ‘Activate!’ Student Grant to fund Kindness in Science program in 2021. Perth, Australia.
- 2019 Poster presentation first place award. Institute for Respiratory Health (IRH) Symposium. Perth, Australia
- 2017 David Meyer Research Prize for best research project presentation. 21st Nottingham Eye Symposium and Research Meeting. Nottingham, UK.