Farewell Interview: Erica Zeglio

Erica Zeglio, an early career researcher at the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI) at the University of Wollongong, is moving on to take on an exciting new venture.

We caught up with Erica to recap on her time affiliated with ACES and find out more about her plans for the future.

How long have you been at IPRI working alongside the ACES members?

I joined ACES in October 2017 as an Associate Research Fellow after completing my Post Doctorate at UNSW.

What has been your role and research area?

I had the opportunity to work on the project ACES has in collaboration with the HEARing CRC, which investigates opportunities to prevent and better remediate hearing loss in children and adults.

I conducted a study on the effects of the drug commonly administered to patients as part of the cochlear implant process. Currently, there is no standardised protocol for administering this drug, so I wanted to understand at a fundamental level what effect this drug has on protein absorption.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss the people the most. I’ve loved the collaborative environment I’ve been a part of, and have had the chance to be hands-on with a range of new techniques and technologies. I have learnt so much and will be able to use these skills to take my research further.

What’s next for you?

I will be moving back to UNSW as a Visiting Fellow for the next two years as part of two fellowships I have secured from Sweden – one from the Swedish Research Council and the other from the Royal Swedish Academy of Science.

My field of expertise is in organic bioelectronics, with a focus on developing devices that allow biology and technology to communicate to one another. I have spent time in the past working on a conducting polymer device to allow a better bio-interface, and I’ll be continuing this work at UNSW, experimenting with different materials and applications.