Michelle Farrar is a NeuRA Quest Scholar, Professor of Paediatric Neurology and Neuroscience at UNSW Medicine and Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (SCHN), where she directs the multidisciplinary neuromuscular clinic and clinical research program.

Michelle’s clinical and research work is directed towards the early diagnosis and therapy of childhood neurological diseases for which she is currently an NHMRC Investigator. Much of her work and that of her research team is collaborative and interdisciplinary, and the inclusion and engagement of people living with rare neurological diseases is important in Michelle’s research to ensure it is meaningful and relevant.

Michelle is site Principal Investigator for a number of clinical trials in rare neurological diseases. She is a member of the Scientific & Medical Advisory Committee for the Childhood Dementia Initiative and the Therapies Scientific Committee of the International Rare Diseases Consortium (IRDiRC). 

She has co-authored publications in the New England Journal of Medicine and Nature Medicine, including clinical trials for gene, RNA and small molecule therapies, which are now approved treatments for spinal muscular atrophy.

She established New Born Screening for spinal muscular atrophy. Her research program has also published on advances in newborn screening, the development of biomarkers and the clinical translation of innovative treatment approaches.