Dr Cherylea Browne

Position

Senior Lecturer - Human Anatomy, Physical Sciences

Biography

Dr Cherylea Browne is a Senior Lecturer in Human Anatomy within the School of Science, Western Sydney University, and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer within the School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney. Her research focuses on a rare vestibular disorder called Mal de Debarquement Syndrome and understanding the underlying mechanisms of this disorder to develop novel treatment protocols. Cherylea is also involved in concussion/mild traumatic brain injury research and cochlear gene therapy.

In 2007, Cherylea completed a Bachelor of Medical Science with honours at The University of Sydney. Her honours research in the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Neuropathology Laboratory involved investigating the effects of post-natal nicotine exposure on autonomic regulation centres in the brainstem. Cherylea then completed a PhD in 2013 at the School of Medicine, Western Sydney University. She investigated the effects of noise-induced hearing loss on central auditory processing. In 2012-2014, Cherylea conducted gene therapy research in the Translational Neuroscience Facility at UNSW Sydney, and subsequently was appointed as Associate Lecturer in the Department of Physiology. Cherylea was appointed as Lecturer in Human Anatomy at the Western Sydney University in early 2014 and continues to maintain a strong research collaboration with the Translational Neuroscience Facility. In 2015, Cherylea was appointed as a Conjoint Lecturer within the School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Australia. Cherylea founded the Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS) Research group in 2017 and collaborates with MdDS experts at Mt Sinai Hospital - New York, United States of America, Prince of Wales Private Hospital - Sydney, Australia, and Antwerp University Hospital - Antwerp, Belgium. Cherylea has conducted various studies on MdDS patients in the hope to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the disorder. Recently, her research interests have expanded into vestibular and oculomotor deficits in concussion / mild traumatic brain injury with an industry linked project. Cherylea is on the Advisory Medical Board for MdDS Australia and is the coordinator for the NSW Australian Brain Bee Challenge.

Over the past 12 years, Cherylea has taught anatomy and physiology across various disciplines and educational institutions. She is the unit coordinator for Human Anatomy and Physiology 2 (HAP2), and teaches into Human Anatomy and Physiology 1, and Anatomy of the Head and Neck.

Research Interests

• Mal de Debarquement Syndrome
• Auditory Neuroscience
• Cochlear Implant
• Gene Therapy
• MdDS
• Motion Sickness
• Neuritogenesis
• Vestibular Neuroscience
• Concussion
• Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Memberships

• Australian Neuroscience Society (2008 - 2009)
• Australasian Neuroscience Society (2010 - 2012)
• Australasian Neuroscience Society (2016 - 2017)
• Association for Research in Otolaryngology (2012 - 2013)

Committees

• MdDS Australia
• Australian Brain Bee Challenge

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy - Western Sydney University
• Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) – The University of Sydney

Awards & Recognition

• Western Sydney University Strategic Initiative Funding – Women’s Fellowship Award 2021
• Western Sydney University Strategic Initiative Funding - Women’s Fellowship Award 2020
• Western Sydney University Strategic Initiative Funding - Career Interruption Grant 2018-11-01
• Western Sydney University Strategic Initiative Funding - ECR Grant 2017-01-01
• School of Science and Health CILT Grant (with Dr Manisha Dayal) 2016-05-16
• School of Science and Health CILT Grant (with Dr Manisha Dayal and Dr Hayley Green) 2016-05-16
• School of Science and Health Research ECR Grant 2016-05-11
• School of Science and Health CILT Grant 2016-05-16
• UWS Researcher Development Strategic Initiative Funding 2015-07-03
• School of Science and Health CILT Grant (with Dr Manisha Dayal) 2015-05-11
• School of Science and Health ECR Grant 2015-04-21
• School of Science and Health Research Seed Grant (ECR Category) 2014-05-21

Research & Publications

• For a complete list of my publications please see my ResearchGate profile (opens in a new window)

Contact Details