Faith Kwa

Dr Faith Kwa is a Senior Lecturer and Course Director for the seven Bachelor of Health Science degrees at Swinburne University of Technology. Her teaching interests are in Research Methods, Pathology and Molecular Biology. Dr. Kwa also welcomes enquiries from students interested in pursuing Honours and PhD degrees in the research areas below.

Dr Kwa is a molecular biologist who leads the Drug Discovery for Chronic Diseases Laboratory. Her research has yielded high impact factor publications in chronic disorders, drug discovery and epigenetics (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9702-0563) which has led to her success in obtaining both external and internal research funding. Dr Kwa has undertaken extensive research investigating potential treatment and diagnostic strategies for various types of leukaemia. Dr Kwa has made novel observations that low doses of selected epigenetic modifiers (i.e. histone-deacetylase inhibitors) in combination therapies can potentiate cytotoxicity in leukaemia cells resistant to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs. She has also identified the use of a unique monoclonal antibody as a drug-vehicle for targeted leukaemia therapy and diagnostic tool. In recent times, Dr Kwa's laboratory has revealed therapeutic benefits of natural compounds with epigenetic properties for the treatment of posterior eye diseases and Friedreich's ataxia. using pre-clinical disease models. Dr Kwa’s passion in exploring new and targeted therapeutic approaches with superior efficacy for the treatment of human diseases continues. 

Another primary focus of Dr Kwa's role has been to deliver a transformative learning experience for her students in Higher Education by designing classes that engage them in active learning and to develop them into life-long learners and future-ready health professionals. Dr. Kwa is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK and has been honoured with 18 teaching accolades throughout her academic career, including the 2023 Vice-chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence (Higher Education - Individual) and the 2023 School of Health Science Teaching Excellence Award. She has also been a Chief Investigator in various learning and teaching grants awarded by different Australian universities. Having coordinated and taught in eleven different subjects with student numbers ranging from 20 to over 300 thus far, her diverse learning and teaching experience has provided her with a great insight into the challenges and dynamics of teaching multi-disciplinary cohorts of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Receiving positive student feedback gives Dr Kwa great satisfaction and keeps her inspired to create new pedagogical methods to further enhance a quality teaching and learning milieu.

Dr Kwa also holds the position of Swinburne Women Academic Network Leader in the Career Development Team and is passionate about developing programs that support fellow women academics to progress in their academic careers.