Many of us will experience some kind of trauma in our lifetime. While most people will be resilient to long-term impacts, some will go on to live with the terrible burden of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Bringing a diverse background to this daunting problem, Dr Bonnie Quigley is looking at very small biology to make a very big difference in PTSD.

Bonnie began her science journey in Canada in 2007 with a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Queen's University. Since then, her passion to understand complex systems has led her to investigate pathways and illnesses in people, animals, plants, bacteria and viruses in the United States, England, and finally Australia. Using molecular biology (the study of DNA, RNA and proteins) to connect and explore each system, Bonnie has brought a uniquely diverse perspective to a range of projects.

Taking on her greatest challenge yet in 2022, Bonnie is currently investigating how our genetics and body chemistry impact PTSD. As the leader of the Molecular Biology research program within the National PTSD Research Centre at UniSC's Thompson Institute, Bonnie's work is connecting the body to the mind in our understanding of PTSD development and treatment.