Dr Kevin Ni
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
- Doctor of Medicine
- Doctor of Philosophy
I am a senior cancer researcher specialising in molecular biomarker discovery, liquid biopsy and extracellular vesicles, transcriptomics, chemo-/radio-resistance, radiation biology, cancer stem cell and imaging in prostate, breast and bladder cancers.
I am currently a Senior Scientific Officer leading the translational uro-oncology research portfolio in Radiation Oncology at St George Hospital and Conjoint Senior Lecturer in School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, based on St George and Sutherland Clinical Campuses.
I obtained my BA and MBBS/MD degrees from China in 2011 and completed my PhD at UNSW Sydney in 2016. To date, I have authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications which have attracted more than 3,100 citations with an h-index of 29.
I am also the scientific reviewer and an executive member of SESLHD HREC, undertaking executive functions to HREC and providing expert scientific advisory services to research ethics team and study investigators to support strategic decision-making and protocol development.
Selected Professional & Editorial Activities
- Contracted Scientific Reviewer, Research Directorate, SESLHD (2021~)
- Executive Member, Human Research Ethics Committee, SESLHD (2022~)
- Foundation Member, EMPCAR Committee, UNSW Medicine & Health (2023~)
- Member, ANZUP Cancer Trials Group (2023~)
- Member, Work Health & Safety Committee, STGCL UNSW (2016~)
- Member, Peer-Review Taskforce, Postgraduate Scholarships, NHMRC (2020~)
- Steering Committee Member, Australian Association for Chinese Biomedical Scientists (2011~)
- Member, American Association for Cancer Research (2013~)
- Member, European Association for Cancer Research (2017~)
- Member, European Society of Medical Oncology (2017~)
- Associate Editor/Editorial Board Member, Board of Radiation Oncology, Frontiers in Oncology (2020~)
- Editorial Board Member, Journal of Extracellular Vesicles (2020~)
- Publications
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
- Media
CIA: A novel liquid biopsy assay of blood exosomal microRNA profiles to improve prostate cancer diagnosis. St George and Sutherland Medical Research Foundation, A$46,000, 2021-2022;
AI: Combining nanoplasmonic profiling with machine learning for non-invasive early detection of ovarian cancer using plasma exosomes, Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (GA-2019-13), A$134,026, 2020-2021.
CIC: Validation of extracellular vesicle protein biomarkers in blood for the personalised treatment decision of prostate cancer patients. SSMRF-St George Cancer Care Foundation Award, A$50,000, 2022-2023.
Co-Investigator: Assessing the diagnostic utility of multi-parametric MRI 'diffusion kurtosis imaging' in the evaluation of bladder masses: a multicentre prospective study. SSMRF Early Career Researcher Grant, A$20,000, 2023-2024.
Co-investigator: The MBC Trial - Assessment of the diagnostic utility of multi-parametric MRI Before Cystoscopy in patients presenting with a bladder mass: a multicentre prospective study. ANZUP Trial Group Below the Belt Research Fund, A$50,000, 2023.
CI: Ni J. Integrative multi-omics & machine-learning-based discovery of liquid biopsy biomarkers to improve bladder cancer treatment selection & surveillance intensity. SESLHD RES-ON Funding Program, A$10,000, 2023.
Co-Investigator: Extracellular Vesicle Informed Therapeutics in Prostate Cancer. ANZUP Trial Group Below the Belt Research Fund, A$50,000, 2024.
- National Scholarship of Excellence, 2008;
- Outstanding Graduate, 2011;
- Prostate and Breast Cancer Foundation Scholarships, 2012-2015;
- Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad Award of China, 2013;
- Best oral presentation in Basic Science, 2nd Prize, St George and Sutherland Medical Research Symposium, 2016;
- Travel grant award, European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Asia 2017 Congress, 2017;
- Service Excellence Award, AACBS, 2018.
Dr. Ni is an independent E/MCR with extensive experience in both translational and clinical cancer research. He plays a pivotal role in spearheading and overseeing several major research projects, ensuring their successful design, execution, and performance. His collaborative efforts extend both within and beyond UNSW, fostering interdisciplinary partnerships that drive innovative cancer research forward.
Dr Ni's current research interests are
- identification of biomarkers in liquid biopsy (extracellular vesicles) on early detection and prognostic evaluation of prostate cancer patients;
- identification of novel biomarkers to predict radio-resistance and enable personalised medicine in breast and prostate cancers;
- investigation of the mechanisms of cancer progression, metastasis and therapeutic resistance associated with tumour microenvironment and cancer stem cells;
- clinicopathologic and biomarker predictors for bladder cancer diagnosis, prognosis and surveillance;
- novel imaging (eg mp-MRI) techniques for the diagnosis, staging and risk stratification of urological cancers.
https://twitter.com/UNSWMedicine/status/1713700901171716195
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Australia, bringing the impact of breast cancer to the forefront of national conversation. Meet Dr Kevin Ni, a Conjoint Senior Lecturer at UNSW's School of Clinical Medicine & breast cancer researcher.
https://www.theleader.com.au/story/5759719/scientists-pave-the-way-forward-with-medical-research/
St George Hospital cancer researchers work to advance benefits for patients through early detection
My Research Supervision
Currently supervising
- PhD students 2x
- Hons student 1x
Available & able to supervise
- HDRs (PhD and MPhil/MRes)
- ILP/Honours for medical and SBMS students