Ben completed his Bachelor of Biotechnology degree in 2019 graduating with Honours from the schools of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences and the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). During his Honours studies, Ben was involved in the biofunctionalisation of silk biomaterials with perlecan, a vascular proteoglycan. In 2021, Ben joined the Stem Cell Medicine Group, at the Children’s Medical Research Institute and The University of Sydney, as a Research Assistant.
After gaining considerable experience in stem cell technology, including the differentiation of organoids, he decided to start his PhD studies. He aims to create stem cell-derived retinal organoids containing a macular region (the region of the retina responsible for our central and colour vision). This study promises to enhance our understanding of human retinal development as well as offering an improved model to study degenerative diseases affecting the human macula and retina.
He likes eating Korean BBQ and In his free time he enjoys winding down with some netflix or light gaming.