Biography
Dr La completed her double degrees of Bachelor of Biomedical Science/Bachelor of Science in 2013, followed by an Honours year in 2014 with A/Prof Hobbs. In the next two years, she worked as a Research Assistant within A/Prof Hobbs’ research group and developed interest in fundamental research. She commenced her PhD training within the same group and recently completed her PhD (July 2021) at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University under the supervision of A/Prof Robin Hobbs and A/Prof Jan Kaslin.
Her research focuses on defining the molecular mechanisms regulating spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) function that ultimately affects male fertility. Her ongoing work investigates signalling pathways and transcriptional networks in controlling SSC function. In particular, Dr La’s work incorporates single-cell transcriptomic analysis to dissect the cellular heterogeneity and dynamics within the undifferentiated spermatogonia during homeostasis and regeneration.
Publication highlights
La HM, Hobbs RM (2019) Mechanisms regulating mammalian spermatogenesis and fertility recovery following germ cell depletion. Cellular and Molecular Life Science 1-32 (Review).
Legrand JMD, Chan AL, La HM, Rossello FJ, Änkö M, Fuller-Pace FV, Hobbs RM (2019) DDX5 plays essential transcriptional and post-transcriptional roles in the maintenance and functions of spermatogonia. Nature Communications 10: 2278.
La HM,* Mäkelä J,* Chan AL, Rossello FJ, Nefzger CM, Legrand JM, De Seram M, Polo JM, Hobbs RM (2018) Identification of dynamic undifferentiated cell states within the male germline. Nature Communication 9: 2819. (*Co-joint first author)
La HM,* Chan AL,* Legrand MD, Rossello FJ, Gangemi CG, Papa A, Cheng Q, Morand EF, Hobbs RM (2018) GILZ-dependent modulation of mTORC1 regulates spermatogonial maintenance. Development dev.165324. (*Co-joint first author)
Chan AL, La HM, Legrand JM, Eichenlaub M, Mäkelä J, DeSeram M, Ramialison M, Hobbs RM (2017) Germline stem cell activity is sustained by SALL4-dependent silencing of distinct tumor suppressor genes. Stem Cell Reports 8:1-16.
Hobbs RM, La HM, Mäkelä J, Kobayashi T, Noda T, Pandolfi PP (2015) Distinct germline progenitor subsets defined through Tsc2-mTORC1 signalling. EMBO Reports 16: 467-480.
