Professor Ada Cheung
Professor Ada Cheung is a clinician-scientist focused on one goal: building robust evidence to improve the health and wellbeing of transgender and gender-diverse people. Although 0.9% of Australians are trans, they remain among the most marginalised and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Her work in trans health began in 2015, when a local hospital declined to accept…
Read More »Dr Iliana Medina
One of the main ways through which animals face problems in nature is by modifying their behaviour. Iliana’s work aims to understand why animals behave the way they do, and what evolutionary drivers have led to the diversity of behaviours we currently observe. Understanding this is key when looking into the future of our fauna….
Read More »Dr Vera Korasidis
Dr. Vera Korasidis’s research focuses on studying the Earth’s past to prepare for its future. Dr. Korasidis reconstructs ancient environments and climates during extreme greenhouse periods, highly relevant as current carbon dioxide levels exceed those of the past 2.5 million years. Her research uniquely characterises vegetation responses to past climate change in unprecedented detail. Using…
Read More »A/Prof Sarah Erfani
Dr. Sarah Erfani’s work addresses a critical challenge in modern technology: ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) systems are safe, trustworthy, and resilient in the face of uncertainty and attack. While AI is increasingly relied upon to detect diseases, defend against cyber threats, and stabilise essential services such as energy supply, these systems remain vulnerable to…
Read More »Dr Rhea Longley
Rhea’s research aims to address a major global health challenge – persistence of malaria in countries very close to elimination. In the Asia-Pacific region, malaria can result in hidden parasite’s in a person’s liver that lie dormant and then cause relapse months after the initial infection. Current tools for detecting and managing relapse risk are…
Read More »Dr Yi (David) Ju
Dr Yi (David) Ju’s research focuses on a central challenge in nanomedicine: how to deliver drugs and gene therapies safely and precisely to the right cells and tissues in the human body. Nanoparticles, especially lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), are promising delivery vehicles for mRNA therapies, yet the immune system often recognises and removes them before they…
Read More »Dr Priscila Machado
Ultra-processed food sales are growing worldwide and now make up a large part of diets in many countries, including Australia. Ultra-processed foods are made by big companies in factories using ingredients people would not usually find in the home pantry. Ultra-processed foods include obvious “junk foods” like soft drinks and chips, but also many products…
Read More »Dr Louise La Sala
In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 12–25 and many are concerned about the impact of social media on youth mental health. While often seen as a risk, social media can also be a powerful tool to support mental health. Dr La Sala’s research focuses on amplifying the benefits…
Read More »Dr Jie Tang
Dr Jie Tang’s research addresses a critical challenge in cancer prevention: patients who have undergone surgery or chemotherapy for bowel cancer remain at high risk of recurrence. While cancer vaccines have the potential to train the immune system to recognise and destroy cancer cells before they grow back, current vaccines often fail when delivered orally….
Read More »Dr Hannah Jarman
Dr Hannah Jarman, Research Fellow at Deakin University, is investigating how social media shapes body image, eating disorders, and youth mental health. Her research seeks to understand when, why, and for whom social media can be harmful—and translates these insights into evidence-based strategies to reduce risks and promote wellbeing. Working in partnership with policymakers, eating…
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