Distinguished Professor
Judith Clements

Biography

Distinguished Professor Emeritus Judith Clements initiated and led the Cancer Program within the School of Biomedical Sciences (then Life Sciences) and then at IHBI from 1997-2014. She was co-founder and former Scientific Director of the Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, within the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Queensland University of Technology, based at the Translational Research Institute on the Princess Alexandra Hospital Biomedical Precinct until her retirement in 2017.  She led the Kallikrein Protease and Tumour Microenvironment Group where the focus of her research was the role of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (the current test for prostate cancer)-related peptidases and their utility as biomarkers or therapeutic targets for prostate and ovarian cancer. In recognition of her contribution to the kallikrein field internationally, she was awarded the prestigious EK Frey Werle Silver & Gold Medals, in 2000 & 2007, respectively. She was an elected member of the International Proteolysis Society Council for 2014-2017 and awarded Honorary Lifetime Membership in 2019. As of 2025, she had >290 publications (>22,900 citations; H index 79) in scientific journals and collaborated widely with colleagues in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe. She co-founded and directed until 2017 the national prostate cancer tissue bank – the Australian Prostate Cancer BioResource - which is a key resource (>6700 men recruited to date) that underpins prostate cancer research nationally. She was continuously funded as an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow for 16 years from 2000-2016. She was awarded the Queensland Women in Technology Biotech Outstanding Achievement Award for 2012, and the prestigious title of Distinguished Professor, the first woman in QUT’s history, in 2013 and Emeritus in 2018. She became a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health & Medical Sciences in 2017. In 2015, she was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the biological sciences and to education, through seminal contributions to improving the understanding of cancers, particularly prostate cancer, as an advocate for the development of biomedical research facilities, and to the training of scientists. She became a Queensland Great and was a Queensland Senior Australian of the Year nominee in 2019 and became a Fellow of the Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2022.

Research theme: Health

Research discipline: Cell and Molecular Biosciences

Research program: Hormone Dependent Cancer

Research area

Functional role of Kallikrein proteases in prostate, breast and ovarian cancer. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and other members of the Kallikrein protease family are best known for their biomarker utility. This project aims to determine their functional roles (and therapeutic potential) by identifying their in vivo substrates. Role of variant Kallikrein isoforms in cancer. The Kallikrein protease family of 15 genes has 780 various transcripts many of which are only expressed in cancer. This project aims to determine if these isoforms have specific functional roles in cancer progression. Role of Kallikrein proteases in bone metastasis. Bone metastasis is the typical outcome of advanced prostate cancer but little is known of the underlying mechanisms. This project aims to determine what role PSA and the related Kallikrein proteases play in this disease. Predictive and prognostic biomarker potential of Kallikrein proteases. This project aims to determine if there are genetic changes (single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)) in the Kallikrein genes that may be predictors of prostate or ovarian cancer.

Areas of expertise

• Prostate cancer
• Ovarian and breast cancer
• Biomarkers for cancer progression
• Kallikrein proteases
• Therapeutic targets.

Selected research projects

• Functional role of Kallikrein proteases in prostate, breast and ovarian cancer
• Role of variant Kallikrein isoforms in cancer
• Role of Kallikrein proteases in bone metastasis
• Predictive and prognostic biomarker potential of Kallikrein proteases.