Dr Felicity Davis

Dr Felicity Davis

Senior Lecturer
Medicine & Health
School of Biomedical Sciences

Felicity holds a joint appointment between UNSW and Aarhus University in Denmark. She has brought together her unique expertise in calcium signalling, mammary biology, adult stem cells and volumetric imaging, with the overarching goal of improving our understanding of mothers’, women’s and babies’ health.

Felicity trained as a pharmacist before embarking on a PhD in the field of breast cancer at the University of Queensland. She subsequently trained at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH/NIEHS) in North Carolina as an NIH Visiting Fellow and in the Department of Pathology and Cambridge Stem Cell Institute at University of Cambridge as an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellow. In 2018, Felicity was awarded an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship and Project Grant to start her independent research group in Australia. She currently runs two labs at the EMBL-Australia Node in Single Molecule Science in Australia and the Department of Biomedicine in Denmark, with generous support from the NHMRC, Novo Nordisk Foundation and US DoD.

  • Journal articles | 2023
    Chalmers SB; Madgwick S; Lloyd-Lewis B; McClurg UL; Elias S; Andersen P; Madsen R; Ananthanarayanan V; Davis FM, 2023, 'Towards inclusive and sustainable scientific meetings', Nature Cell Biology, 25, pp. 1557 - 1560, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41556-023-01222-9
    Journal articles | 2023
    Davis FM; Elias S; Ananthanarayanan V, 2023, 'Scientists with intersecting privilege must work towards institutional inclusion', Nature Cell Biology, 25, pp. 789 - 792, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41556-023-01143-7
    Journal articles | 2023
    Davis FM, 2023, 'DEI conversations: more than a box-ticking exercise', Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 24, pp. 238, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41580-022-00565-9
    Journal articles | 2022
    Casciello F; Kelly GM; Ramarao-Milne P; Kamal N; Stewart TA; Mukhopadhyay P; Kazakoff SH; Miranda M; Kim D; Davis FM; Hayward NK; Vertino PM; Waddell N; Gannon F; Lee JS, 2022, 'Combined Inhibition of G9a and EZH2 Suppresses Tumor Growth via Synergistic Induction of IL24-Mediated Apoptosis', Cancer Research, 82, pp. 1208 - 1221, http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-2218
    Journal articles | 2022
    Gieniec KA; Davis FM, 2022, 'Mammary basal cells: Stars of the show', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Cell Research, 1869, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2021.119159
    Journal articles | 2021
    Davis FM, 2021, 'Cell and developmental biology of the mammary gland', Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, 114, pp. 81 - 82, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.03.015
    Journal articles | 2021
    Davis FM, 2021, 'Tunnel vision: Imaging the mouse epididymis in three-dimensions', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Cell Research, 1868, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2021.119009
    Journal articles | 2021
    Keshvari S; Caruso M; Teakle N; Batoon L; Sehgal A; Patkar OL; Ferrari-Cestari M; Snell CE; Chen C; Stevenson A; Davis FM; Bush SJ; Pridans C; Summers KM; Pettit AR; Irvine KM; Hume DA, 2021, 'CSF1R-dependent macrophages control postnatal somatic growth and organ maturation', PLoS Genetics, 17, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1009605
    Journal articles | 2021
    Stewart TA; Hughes K; Stevenson AJ; Marino N; Ju AL; Morehead M; Davis FM, 2021, 'Mammary mechanobiology - investigating roles for mechanically activated ion channels in lactation and involution', Journal of Cell Science, 134, http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jcs.248849
    Journal articles | 2020
    Keshvari S; Caruso M; Teakle N; Batoon L; Sehgal A; Patkar O; Ferrari-Cestari M; Snell C; Chen C; Stevenson A; Davis F; Bush S; Pridans C; Summers K; Pettit A; Irvine K; Hume D, 2020, 'CSF1R-dependent macrophages control postnatal somatic growth and organ maturation', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.29.402859
    Journal articles | 2020
    Stevenson AJ; Vanwalleghem G; Stewart TA; Condon ND; Lloyd-Lewis B; Marino N; Putney JW; Scott EK; Ewing AD; Davis FM, 2020, 'Multiscale imaging of basal cell dynamics in the functionally mature mammary gland', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117, pp. 26822 - 26832, http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2016905117
    Journal articles | 2020
    Stewart TA; Davis FM, 2020, 'A Primary Cell and Organoid Platform for Evaluating Pharmacological Responses in Mammary Epithelial Cells', ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science, 3, pp. 63 - 75, http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsptsci.9b00090
    Journal articles | 2020
    Stewart TA; Davis FM, 2020, 'Got Milk? Identifying and Characterizing Lactation Defects in Genetically-Engineered Mouse Models', Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia, 25, pp. 255 - 272, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10911-020-09467-y
    Journal articles | 2019
    Stevenson A; Vanwalleghem G; Stewart T; Condon N; Lloyd-Lewis B; Marino N; Putney J; Scott E; Ewing A; Davis F, 2019, 'Multiscale activity imaging in mammary gland reveals how oxytocin enables lactation', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/657510
    Journal articles | 2019
    Stewart T; Hughes K; Hume D; Davis F, 2019, 'Developmental stage-specific distribution of macrophages in mouse mammary gland', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/746511
    Journal articles | 2019
    Stewart T; Hughes K; Stevenson A; Marino N; Ju A; Morehead M; Davis F, 2019, 'Mammary mechanobiology: mechanically-activated ion channels in lactation and involution', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/649038
    Journal articles | 2019
    Stewart TA; Davis FM, 2019, 'An element for development: Calcium signaling in mammalian reproduction and development', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Cell Research, 1866, pp. 1230 - 1238, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2019.02.016
    Journal articles | 2019
    Stewart TA; Davis FM, 2019, 'Formation and Function of Mammalian Epithelia: Roles for Mechanosensitive PIEZO1 Ion Channels', Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2019.00260
    Journal articles | 2019
    Stewart TA; Hughes K; Hume DA; Davis FM, 2019, 'Developmental Stage-Specific Distribution of Macrophages in Mouse Mammary Gland', Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2019.00250
    Journal articles | 2019
    Tay B; Stewart TA; Davis FM; Deuis JR; Vetter I, 2019, 'Development of a high-throughput fluorescent no-wash sodium influx assay', PLoS ONE, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213751
    Journal articles | 2018
    Jamaludin SYN; Azimi I; Davis FM; Peters AA; Gonda TJ; Thompson EW; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Monteith GR, 2018, 'Assessment of CXC ligand 12-mediated calcium signalling and its regulators in basal-like breast cancer cells', Oncology Letters, 15, pp. 4289 - 4295, http://dx.doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.7827
    Journal articles | 2018
    Lloyd-Lewis B; Davis FM; Harris OB; Hitchcock JR; Watson CJ, 2018, 'Neutral lineage tracing of proliferative embryonic and adultmammary stem/progenitor cells', Development (Cambridge), 145, http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/dev.164079
    Journal articles | 2017
    Davis FM, 2017, 'The ins and outs of calcium signalling in lactation and involution: Implications for breast cancer treatment', Pharmacological Research, 116, pp. 100 - 104, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2016.12.007
    Journal articles | 2017
    Kamato D; Mitra P; Davis F; Osman N; Chaplin R; Cabot PJ; Afroz R; Thomas W; Zheng W; Kaur H; Brimble M; Little PJ, 2017, 'Gaq proteins: molecular pharmacology and therapeutic potential', Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 74, pp. 1379 - 1390, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00018-016-2405-9
    Journal articles | 2017
    Lloyd-Lewis B; Harris OB; Watson CJ; Davis FM, 2017, 'Mammary Stem Cells: Premise, Properties, and Perspectives', Trends in Cell Biology, 27, pp. 556 - 567, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tcb.2017.04.001
    Journal articles | 2017
    Peters AA; Jamaludin SYN; Yapa KTDS; Chalmers S; Wiegmans AP; Lim HF; Milevskiy MJG; Azimi I; Davis FM; Northwood KS; Pera E; Marcial DL; Dray E; Waterhouse NJ; Cabot PJ; Gonda TJ; Kenny PA; Brown MA; Khanna KK; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Monteith GR, 2017, 'Oncosis and apoptosis induction by activation of an overexpressed ion channel in breast cancer cells', Oncogene, 36, pp. 6490 - 6500, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/onc.2017.234
    Journal articles | 2017
    Putney JW; Steinckwich-Besançon N; Numaga-Tomita T; Davis FM; Desai PN; D'Agostin DM; Wu S; Bird GS, 2017, 'The functions of store-operated calcium channels', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Cell Research, 1864, pp. 900 - 906, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2016.11.028
    Journal articles | 2016
    Azimi I; Beilby H; Davis FM; Marcial DL; Kenny PA; Thompson EW; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Monteith GR, 2016, 'Altered purinergic receptor-Ca2+ signaling associated with hypoxia-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells', Molecular Oncology, 10, pp. 166 - 178, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molonc.2015.09.006
    Journal articles | 2016
    Davis FM; Goulding EH; D'Agostin DM; Janardhan KS; Cummings CA; Bird GS; Eddy EM; Putney JW, 2016, 'Male infertility in mice lacking the store-operated Ca2+ channel Orai1', Cell Calcium, 59, pp. 189 - 197, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ceca.2016.02.007
    Journal articles | 2016
    Davis FM; Lloyd-Lewis B; Harris OB; Kozar S; Winton DJ; Muresan L; Watson CJ, 2016, 'Single-cell lineage tracing in the mammary gland reveals stochastic clonal dispersion of stem/progenitor cell progeny', Nature Communications, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13053
    Journal articles | 2016
    Lloyd-Lewis B; Davis FM; Harris OB; Hitchcock JR; Lourenco FC; Pasche M; Watson CJ, 2016, 'Imaging the mammary gland and mammary tumours in 3D: Optical tissue clearing and immunofluorescence methods', Breast Cancer Research, 18, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13058-016-0754-9
    Journal articles | 2015
    Davis FM; Janoshazi A; Janardhan KS; Steinckwich N; D'Agostin DM; Petranka JG; Desai PN; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Bird GS; Tucker DK; Fenton SE; Feske S; Monteith GR; Putney JW, 2015, 'Essential role of Orai1 store-operated calcium channels in lactation', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112, pp. 5827 - 5832, http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1502264112
    Journal articles | 2014
    Davis FM; Azimi I; Faville RA; Peters AA; Jalink K; Putney JW; Goodhill GJ; Thompson EW; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Monteith GR, 2014, 'Induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer cells is calcium signal dependent', Oncogene, 33, pp. 2307 - 2316, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/onc.2013.187
    Journal articles | 2014
    Davis FM; Stewart TA; Thompson EW; Monteith GR, 2014, 'Targeting EMT in cancer: Opportunities for pharmacological intervention', Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 35, pp. 479 - 488, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2014.06.006
    Journal articles | 2014
    Xing J; Petranka JG; Davis FM; Desai PN; Putney JW; Bird GS, 2014, 'Role of Orai1 and store-operated calcium entry in mouse lacrimal gland signalling and function', Journal of Physiology, 592, pp. 927 - 939, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2013.267740
    Journal articles | 2013
    Davis FM; Parsonage MT; Cabot PJ; Parat MO; Thompson EW; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Monteith GR, 2013, 'Assessment of gene expression of intracellular calcium channels, pumps and exchangers with epidermal growth factor-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in a breast cancer cell line', Cancer Cell International, 13, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1475-2867-13-76
    Journal articles | 2012
    Davis FM; Peters AA; Grice DM; Cabot PJ; Parat MO; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Monteith GR, 2012, 'Non-stimulated, agonist-stimulated and store-operated ca2+ influx in MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells and the effect of EGF-induced EMT on calcium entry', PLoS ONE, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036923
    Journal articles | 2012
    Monteith GR; Davis FM; Roberts-Thomson SJ, 2012, 'Calcium channels and pumps in cancer: Changes and consequences', Journal of Biological Chemistry, 287, pp. 31666 - 31673, http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.R112.343061
    Journal articles | 2011
    Davis FM; Kenny PA; Soo ETL; van Denderen BJW; Thompson EW; Cabot PJ; Parat MO; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Monteith GR, 2011, 'Remodeling of purinergic receptor-mediated Ca 2+ signaling as a consequence of EGF-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells', PLoS ONE, 6, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0023464
    Journal articles | 2011
    Lee JM; Davis FM; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Monteith GR, 2011, 'Ion channels and transporters in cancer. 4. remodeling of Ca 2+ signaling in tumorigenesis: Role of Ca 2+ transport', American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology, 301, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00136.2011
    Journal articles | 2011
    McAndrew D; Grice DM; Peters AA; Davis FM; Stewart T; Rice M; Smart CE; Brown MA; Kenny PA; Roberts-Thomson SJ; Monteith GR, 2011, 'ORAI1-mediated calcium influx in lactation and in breast cancer', Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 10, pp. 448 - 460, http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-10-0923
  • Preprints | 2023
    Ahmed IA; Liu J-J; Gieniec KA; Bair-Marshall CJ; Adewakun AB; Hetzler BE; Arp CJ; Khatri L; Vanwalleghem GC; Seidenberg AT; Cowin P; Trauner D; Chao MV; Davis FM; Tsien RW; Froemke RC, 2023, Optopharmacological tools for precise spatiotemporal control of oxytocin signaling in the central nervous system and periphery., , http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2715993/v1
    Other | 2023
    Casciello F; Kelly GM; Ramarao-Milne P; Kamal N; Stewart TA; Mukhopadhyay P; Kazakoff SH; Miranda M; Kim D; Davis FM; Hayward NK; Vertino PM; Waddell N; Gannon F; Lee JS, 2023, Supplementary Data from Combined Inhibition of G9a and EZH2 Suppresses Tumor Growth via Synergistic Induction of IL24-Mediated Apoptosis, , http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.22431540
    Other | 2023
    Casciello F; Kelly GM; Ramarao-Milne P; Kamal N; Stewart TA; Mukhopadhyay P; Kazakoff SH; Miranda M; Kim D; Davis FM; Hayward NK; Vertino PM; Waddell N; Gannon F; Lee JS, 2023, Supplementary Data from Combined Inhibition of G9a and EZH2 Suppresses Tumor Growth via Synergistic Induction of IL24-Mediated Apoptosis, , http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.22431543
    Other | 2023
    2023, Data from Combined Inhibition of G9a and EZH2 Suppresses Tumor Growth via Synergistic Induction of IL24-Mediated Apoptosis, , http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.c.6513936.v1
    Other | 2023
    2023, Supplementary Data from Combined Inhibition of G9a and EZH2 Suppresses Tumor Growth via Synergistic Induction of IL24-Mediated Apoptosis, , http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.22431540.v1
    Other | 2023
    2023, Supplementary Data from Combined Inhibition of G9a and EZH2 Suppresses Tumor Growth via Synergistic Induction of IL24-Mediated Apoptosis, , http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.22431543.v1
    Preprints | 2022
    Ahmed IA; Liu J-J; Gieniec KA; Bair-Marshall CJ; Adewakun AB; Hetzler BE; Arp CJ; Khatri L; Vanwalleghem GC; Seidenberg AT; Cowin P; Trauner D; Chao MV; Davis FM; Tsien RW; Froemke RC, 2022, Optopharmacological tools for precise spatiotemporal control of oxytocin signaling in the central nervous system and periphery, , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.10.516001
    Conference Papers | 2021
    Diercks BP; Jensen HH; Chalmers SB; Coode E; Vaughan MB; Tadayon R; Sáez PJ; Davis FM; Brohus M, 2021, 'The first junior European Calcium Society meeting: calcium research across scales, Kingdoms and countries', in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Cell Research, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2021.118999

Current support

NNF Young Investigator Award 2021-28

NHMRC Ideas Grant 2021-25

NHMRC Project Grant 2018-21

NHMRC Career Development Fellowship 2018-22

Equity Trustees Cancer Award 2018-21

Metcalf Prize for Stem Cell Research 2020-21

US DoD Breast Cancer Research Program 2021-23

 

Past support

Univ. of QLD Collaborative Seeding Grant 2019

Univ. of QLD Foundation Research Excellence Award 2018

Univ. of QLD Early Career Researcher Grant 2017-18

NHMRC C.J. Martin Early Career Fellowship 2014-18

NHMRC Biomedical Research Scholarship 2014-18