Dr Sarah Hemley

Biography

Dr Sarah Hemley is a Lecturer (Student Matters) within the School of Health Sciences. In this role, she supports students experiencing academic, financial or personal challenges that may affect their studies. Sarah works collaboratively with students to identify practical options, navigate university processes and connect with appropriate support services.

Before joining Notre Dame, Sarah spent more than 15 years at Macquarie University as a medical researcher, educator and project lead. She holds a PhD in Medical Science, and her research focused on spinal cord disorders and cerebrospinal fluid physiology. She led multidisciplinary research projects involving scientists, clinicians, engineers and students, and contributed to peer-reviewed publications, competitive grants and international conferences.

Sarah has extensive experience in university teaching, curriculum design and student supervision. She has designed and convened postgraduate units focused on critical analysis, scientific communication and professional development. She has also supervised research students and supported early-career researchers through the academic and personal challenges associated with postgraduate study.

Sarah is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive university environment. Her approach centres on listening without judgement, responding with empathy and helping students seek support early, before difficulties become overwhelming.

Teaching areas

Cerebrospinal Fluid Disorders
Research Skills (Scientific communication)

Research expertise and supervision

Supervised 3 PhD candidates and 6 Master of Research candidates to completion.
Research areas: cerebrospinal fluid physiology, spinal cord disorders.

Journal articles and proceedings

Berliner JA, Penprase ZW, Ogolo DE, Liu S, Bilston LE, Stoodley MA, Hemley
SJ. Cardiorespiratory modulation of cerebrospinal fluid flow in the presence of
spinal subarachnoid space obstruction. Fluids Barriers CNS. 2026 Jun 9;23(1):90.
doi: 10.1186/s12987-026-00823-4. PMID: 42265741; PMCID: PMC13403395.
Johnson L, Bartlett-Tomasetig F, Fok S, Whan R, Berliner J, Hemley SJ,
Stoodley MA, Bilston LE. A novel method to quantify perivascular space
enlargement near the syrinx in a rodent model of post-traumatic syringomyelia.
Sci Rep. 2023 Sep 12;13(1):15043. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-42275-y. PMID:
37700036; PMCID: PMC10497578.
Lam MA, Hemley SJ, Najafi E, Vella NGF, Bilston LE, Stoodley MA. The
ultrastructure of spinal cord perivascular spaces: Implications for the
circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 10;7(1):12924. doi:
10.1038/s41598-017-13455-4. PMID: 29018285; PMCID: PMC5635033.
Hemley SJ, Bilston LE, Cheng S, Chan JN, Stoodley MA. Aquaporin-4 expression
in post-traumatic syringomyelia. J Neurotrauma. 2013 Aug 15;30(16):1457-67. doi:
10.1089/neu.2012.2614. Epub 2013 Jul 20. PMID: 23441695; PMCID: PMC3741421.
Liu S, Bilston LE, Stoodley MA, Hemley SJ. Tachycardia and hypertension
enhance tracer efflux from the spinal cord. Fluids Barriers CNS. 2021 Oct
26;18(1):47. doi: 10.1186/s12987-021-00279-8. PMID: 34702290; PMCID: PMC8547081.
Cheng S, Fletcher D, Hemley S, Stoodley M, Bilston L. Effects of fluid
structure interaction in a three dimensional model of the spinal subarachnoid
space. J Biomech. 2014 Aug 22;47(11):2826-30. doi:
10.1016/j.jbiomech.2014.04.027. Epub 2014 Jun 20. Erratum in: J Biomech. 2014
Nov 7;47(14):3590. PMID: 25005435.
Berliner J, Hemley S, Najafi E, Bilston L, Stoodley M, Lam M. Abnormalities
in spinal cord ultrastructure in a rat model of post-traumatic syringomyelia.
Fluids Barriers CNS. 2020 Feb 29;17(1):11. doi: 10.1186/s12987-020-0171-4. PMID:
32111246; PMCID: PMC7049227.
Berliner JA, Woodcock T, Najafi E, Hemley SJ, Lam M, Cheng S, Bilston LE,
Stoodley MA. Effect of extradural constriction on CSF flow in rat spinal cord.
Fluids Barriers CNS. 2019 Mar 26;16(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s12987-019-0127-8. PMID:
30909935; PMCID: PMC6434898.
Yeo J, Cheng S, Hemley S, Lee BB, Stoodley M, Bilston L. Characteristics of
CSF Velocity-Time Profile in Posttraumatic Syringomyelia. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol.
2017 Sep;38(9):1839-1844. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A5304. Epub 2017 Jul 20. PMID:
28729294; PMCID: PMC7963702.
Liu S, Bilston LE, Flores Rodriguez N, Wright C, McMullan S, Lloyd R,
Stoodley MA, Hemley SJ. Changes in intrathoracic pressure, not arterial
pulsations, exert the greatest effect on tracer influx in the spinal cord.
Fluids Barriers CNS. 2022 Feb 8;19(1):14. doi: 10.1186/s12987-022-00310-6. PMID:
35135574; PMCID: PMC8822685.
Liu S, Lam MA, Sial A, Hemley SJ, Bilston LE, Stoodley MA. Fluid outflow in
the rat spinal cord: the role of perivascular and paravascular pathways. Fluids
Barriers CNS. 2018 Apr 29;15(1):13. doi: 10.1186/s12987-018-0098-1. PMID:
29704892; PMCID: PMC5924677.
Wong J, Hemley S, Jones N, Cheng S, Bilston L, Stoodley M. Fluid outflow in
a large-animal model of posttraumatic syringomyelia. Neurosurgery. 2012
Aug;71(2):474-80; discussion 480. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e31825927d6. PMID:
22513840.
Hemley SJ, Tu J, Stoodley MA. Role of the blood-spinal cord barrier in
posttraumatic syringomyelia. J Neurosurg Spine. 2009 Dec;11(6):696-704. doi:
10.3171/2009.6.SPINE08564. PMID: 19951022.
Najafi E, Bilston LE, Song X, Bongers A, Stoodley MA, Cheng S, Hemley SJ.
Longitudinal measurements of syrinx size in a rat model of posttraumatic
syringomyelia. J Neurosurg Spine. 2016 Jun;24(6):941-8. doi:
10.3171/2015.10.SPINE15538. Epub 2016 Feb 26. PMID: 26918577.
Hemley SJ, Bilston LE, Cheng S, Stoodley MA. Aquaporin-4 expression and
blood-spinal cord barrier permeability in canalicular syringomyelia. J Neurosurg
Spine. 2012 Dec;17(6):602-12. doi: 10.3171/2012.9.SPINE1265. Epub 2012 Oct 19.
PMID: 23082850.
Berliner JA, Lam MA, Najafi E, Hemley SJ, Bilston LE, Stoodley MA.
Aquaporin-4 expression and modulation in a rat model of post-traumatic
syringomyelia. Sci Rep. 2023 Jun 14;13(1):9662. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-36538-x.
PMID: 37316571; PMCID: PMC10267129.
Cheng S, Stoodley MA, Wong J, Hemley S, Fletcher DF, Bilston LE. The
presence of arachnoiditis affects the characteristics of CSF flow in the spinal
subarachnoid space: a modelling study. J Biomech. 2012 Apr 30;45(7):1186-91.
doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2012.01.050. Epub 2012 Mar 3. PMID: 22386041.
Wong JH, Song X, Hemley SJ, Bilston LE, Cheng S, Stoodley MA. Direct-trauma
model of posttraumatic syringomyelia with a computer-controlled motorized spinal
cord impactor. J Neurosurg Spine. 2016 May;24(5):797-805. doi:
10.3171/2015.10.SPINE15742. Epub 2016 Jan 29. PMID: 26824588.
Najafi E, Stoodley MA, Bilston LE, Hemley SJ. Inwardly rectifying potassium
channel 4.1 expression in post-traumatic syringomyelia. Neuroscience. 2016 Mar
11;317:23-35. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.01.001. Epub 2016 Jan 6. PMID:
26768400.
Chong S, Vickaryous N, Ashe A, Zamudio N, Youngson N, Hemley S, Stopka T,
Skoultchi A, Matthews J, Scott HS, de Kretser D, O'Bryan M, Blewitt M, Whitelaw
E. Modifiers of epigenetic reprogramming show paternal effects in the mouse. Nat
Genet. 2007 May;39(5):614-22. doi: 10.1038/ng2031. Epub 2007 Apr 22. PMID:
17450140; PMCID: PMC3199608.
Blewitt ME, Vickaryous NK, Hemley SJ, Ashe A, Bruxner TJ, Preis JI, Arkell R,
Whitelaw E. An N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea screen for genes involved in variegation in
the mouse. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 May 24;102(21):7629-34. doi:
10.1073/pnas.0409375102. Epub 2005 May 12. PMID: 15890782; PMCID: PMC1140414.

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Dr Sarah Hemley

Biography

Teaching areas

Research expertise and supervision

Journal articles and proceedings