A Window On SAHMRI

Dr Stephen Blake is an immunologist specialising in cancer immunology and immunotherapy at SAHMRI, where he focuses on understanding how the immune system and the gut microbiome influence cancer treatment response and side effects.His work sits at the intersection of laboratory discovery and future clinical care, aiming to make treatments more effective and less harmful for patients.Outside the lab, Stephen's a busy dad of two who values family time as a circuit breaker from the pressures of research.

Tom Symonds is the Executive Director of Health Translation SA (HTSA), leading the work of connecting SAHMRI, the state's universities, hospitals and government to turn research into real-world impact. Spending much of his younger life in the UK before moving to Australia, Tom has built his career across health service management, research strategy, primary care leadership and government innovation.Outside of work he’s a keen muso, a long-suffering Nottingham Forest fan, and an underrated chef.

Dr Ben Lewis has a PhD in skin cancer biology and molecular pharmacology but discovered along the way that he loved talking about science more than doing it. His curiosity and creativity has taken him from the lab to stage shows, documentaries, journalism and now to SAHMRI, where he helps researchers sharpen their skills in writing, presenting and sharing their work with the world. Whether he's editing grant applications or running workshops on communication and public speaking, Ben's passionate about helping scientists find the best story in their research to connect with any audience.

Dr Ilaria Pagani is a cancer researcher hailing from Corteno Golgi, a small town in beautiful Northern Italy. She migrated to Australia a decade ago in pursuit of her career and has become a key member of SAHMRI’s Blood Cancer Program, where she's working to transform the way chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is treated and managed.Since arriving in Australia, Ilaria's had to overcome the challenge of English being her second language. She's stuck at it and become an excellent science communicator in both English and Italian, dedicated to mentoring young researchers and sharing her work with the wider community.Beyond the lab, she has her on show on Radio Italia Uno, is a competitive rower, and is now launching her own charity, CML Australia, to support patients and families across the country.

Professor Odette Pearson and Associate Professor Kim Morey are trailblazers in Aboriginal health research and Co-Leads of the Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity Theme at SAHMRI.Prof Pearson is a Kuku Yalanji woman with expertise in Indigenous health policy and systems. Her career began in the Torres Strait, where she helped implement a diabetes recall system that significantly reduced preventable amputations.A/Prof Morey, of Anmatyerre and Eastern Arrernte descent, brings over 25 years of experience in Aboriginal health and community services. She leads a highly translational research program focused on improving care for Aboriginal people with chronic disease.Together, they’re guiding a passionate team working to ensure Aboriginal communities are not just involved in research — but leading it.

Cade Christensen's career got off to a uniquely exhilarating start, with the California-native working as a Special Operations Intelligence Officer in the U.S Air Force, before moving across the world to pursue bioinformatics. Based at SAHMRI for the past 18 months, he’s swapped military intelligence for medical research — applying new skills to unravel the biology behind neurological conditions. He works alongside Dr Inushi De Silva, who recently completed her PhD on tumour growth in glioblastoma — one of the most aggressive and complex forms of brain cancer.They're both under the guidance of Professor Cedric Bardy in the Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, which bioengineers live human brain tissue in petri dishes, to facilitate the discovery and validation of treatments for brain disorders.

Professor Peter Psaltis is a leading cardiologist, SAHMRI’s Deputy Director and Co-Lead of the Lifelong Health theme, where he’s driving research to better detect, prevent and treat Australia’s biggest killer – heart disease. From studying the potential of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic for heart health, to pioneering work in vascular inflammation and plaque biology, Peter remains wholeheartedly dedicated to furthering his field of research, all while keeping his feet firmly planted in the realities of clinical care. He’s also a proud father of four, an avid gym-goer, and a diehard Port Power fan.

Professor Caroline Miller is a behavioural scientist and long-time champion of disease prevention, leading the charge at SAHMRI’s Health Policy Centre. She also serves as SAHMRI’s Chief Operating Officer, helping to steer day-to-day operations.She’s at the coal face of translating research into health policy, most recently playing a key role in shaping Australia’s approach to vaping reform.From tobacco control to obesity prevention and cancer screening, Caroline’s work has influenced some of Australia’s biggest public health wins — but there’s still a long way to go and she loves a challenge!

Ever had a PET scan? Well, it wouldn't have been possible without the use of radiopharmaceuticals, unique agents engineered to detect and treat disease. Chady Barkil, Director of SAHMRI’s Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Unit (MITRU), and Dr Ed Robins, Head of Research and Development, are leading the development and innovation of radiopharmaceuticals in South Australia. Operated by a team of talented radiochemists, MITRU's 'cyclotron' nuclear particle accelerator produces radiotracers on a daily basis, powering scans in clinics locally and across the nation. Always looking for the next big thing, Ed and Chady juggle their time between the constant demands of managing manufacturing, and the pursuit of new tracers with the potential for life-changing impact.

Professor Tim Hughes is an internationally renowned haematologist and cancer researcher. He's led many key global and national trials throughout his extensive career, perhaps most notably being heavily involved in the testing of Asciminib, a modern tyrosine kinase inhibitor capable of reducing the burden of disease in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) to zero, and in some cases, allowing patients to live in treatment-free remission. Tim is also an avid hiker, having summited both Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Annapurna in Nepal to raise money for CML research through Climb for a Cure.

Having led a highly impactful career in nutrition research and headed the SAHMRI Women and Kids theme for many years, Professor Maria Makrides took the helm as SAHMRI's Executive Director in 2023. Professor Makrides list of accolades includes being awarded SA's Scientist of the Year for her extensive research around omega-3 fatty acids, which resulted in the world-leading 'Test and Treat' program, measuring omega-3 levels in pregnant women to reduce the risk of preterm birth. Deeply passionate about cultivating a unique culture and refined focus at SAHMRI, Professor Makrides is leading our mission to deliver translational research with tangible impact to society.

SAHMRI employee and leukaemia survivor, Joanne Dart, sits down with her treating physician and SAHMRI colleague, Professor David Yeung to share her inspiring story. There were no warning signs leading up to Jo's shock acute lymphoblastic leukaemia diagnosis in 2010. At the age of 44 she was forced to drop everything and spend four harrowing months in hospital. Jo was one Professor Yeung's first patients, and the two still have a connection to this day. Working in a clinicial role at the RAH and researcher at SAHMRI gives David a dual lens through which to focus on improving treatment efficacy while reducing side effects for patients living with various forms of leukaemia. Jo took a job on SAHMRI's accounting team a few years ago, seeing it as an opportunity to give back to medical research, which says is the reason she's alive today.

Professor Deb White is the Precision Cancer Medicine Theme Leader at SAHMRI and a renowned veteran of blood cancer research. Leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer and Deb has dedicated much of her career to trying to improve outcomes for children and their families. She has two sons of her own, one studying medicine and another who she has the opportunity to work alongside in haematology. In her limited spare time Deb is a big reader and likes to unwind with a book that doesn't make her brain work too hard.

Joyce Mugabushaka is a first-generation Australian whose family fled civil conflict in the Congo in the mid 90’s, eventually settling in Adelaide. It was watching science themed kids TV shows that first sparked Joyce’s interest in research, leading her on the path to wearing in a lab coat as a PhD Candidate within SAHMRI’s Precision Cancer Medicine theme. Joyce’s research primarily focuses on studying the disrupted gut bacteria of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) survivors caused by chemotherapy and assessing long term health impacts. In her spare time, she volunteers as an Event Medic for St John Ambulance SA, loves hitting the gym and has even sky dived multiple times!

Matthew Kemsley is a Yamatji Malgana man whose family comes from Shark Bay, Western Australia. Matthew's grandfather was a member of the stolen generation, and Matthew himself was raised on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Matthew is a Project Officer working on Wardliparingga's South Australian Aboriginal Diabetes-related Foot Disease Program - Walk Strong, Walk Tall, improving the prevention and management of diabetes-related foot disease and amputation for Aboriginal people in rural and remote South Australia. He's also a father of two, with a passion for the full picture of health and providing culturally appropriate healthcare.

Treatment side effects and disease relapse make myeloma one the most challenging forms of cancer to manage, reducing quality of life and overall survival. Dr Krzysztof Mrozik has made it his mission to improve drug delivery to sites of cancer, aiming to improve the effectiveness of therapy while limiting overall damage to the body. Dr Mrozik is also a husband, a father of two an Arsenal fan and a keen fisherman.

A/Prof Christina Bursill is a vascular biologist and Co-director of SAHMRI's Vascular Research Centre. Her career is dedicated to the detection, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. She's also a mother and continues to compete at a high level in rowing, having once contended for selection on the Australian Olympic team.

Chronic pain limits the lives of around three and half million Australians and forces 40% into early retirement. Conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBS) and endometriosis can severely impact quality of life for not just months and years, but decades. Professor Stuart Brierley, Co-lead of SAHMRI's Lifelong Health Theme and leader of the Visceral Pain Research Group, has dedicated his career to understanding and treating pain.

Dr Julian Carosi is an early-career researcher within Lysosomal Health in Ageing at SAHMRI. Julian’s research focuses on autophagy, a waste disposal system that helps repair cellular damage and slow biological ageing. Julian's fascination with problem solving very nearly led him to pursue engineering, but his passion for understanding and improving the health of the human body landed him in science instead. He's a great example of a young researcher navigating the challenges of establishing a career in his field and life's about to get even busier for Julian, he's a soon to be father.

Dr Dan Thomas is the leader of SAHMRI's Blood Cancer Program. Dr Thomas is both a clinical haematologist and pathologist whose goals in research are to develop new drugs for the treatment of rare blood cancers. His career was set up by 7 years of post-doctoral training at the Stanford School of Medicine under pre-eminent leaders of his field. The Thomas Lab has a strong track record in finding new druggable targets in cancer and predicting mutations that respond to specific targeted therapies as well as repurposing old drugs for new uses in cancer. Some of the discoveries that Dr Thomas has contributed to are already in the clinic or are under clinical investigation. Outside of work, Dr Thomas is a husband, and a father to his young son. He can often be found cycling, bushwalking, enjoying music, spending time on the farm and in his local church community.

Professor Alice Rumbold is SAHMRI's Women & Kids Theme Leader, a mother of two and a keen musician. A veteran of pregnancy health and Aboriginal health research, Alice's work continues to make a significant impact in improving the lives of women and children and part of her focus is now mentoring the next generation.

Joep Van Agteren, Monique Newberry and Matthew Iasiello are a trio of people dedicated to building community wellbeing through the practical application of research innovation. They've each experienced their own mental health struggles throughout their lives and have been inspired to create a toolkit that can be used by anyone to proactively build wellbeing. Together they lead the team behind Be Well Co, SAHMRI's first spin-out company, translating mental health research into practical interventions aimed at helping people cultivate awareness and happiness. Building Be Well Co from the ground up has been a rollercoaster ride of success and frustration that's led Joep, Mon and Matt to where they are now, at the forefront of bringing wellbeing to the workplace.

Julia Scott is an expert in hormone driven cancer and has spent the past four years completing her PhD, focusing on cell metabolism in prostate cancer. Julia's been striving towards being a scientist since developing a passion for discovery in school. She's also an avid amateur athlete who's always looking for a new puzzle to solve.

Dr Najma Moumin was born in Somalia and grew up in Canada after immigrating with her family to escape the Somali Civil War. Now living in Australia, Najma is a registered nutritionist and researcher within SAHMRI's Women and Kids Theme. Her research centres around sourcing critical information relevant to public health policy, such as the prevalence of food allergy, breastfeeding rates and use of breastmilk substitutes, and the nutritional adequacy of contemporary diets. She also loves going to comedy gigs and latin dance!

Dr Andrew Shoubridge is an early career postdoctoral researcher in microbiology and neurobiology. He was also awarded the honour of becoming SAHMRI's inaugural BRIGHT Accelerator and is currently using some of the funds raised by the community during the 2022 BRIGHT Walk to conduct a unique dementia research project.

For the 1 in 10 women who live with endometriosis, the pain can be excruciating and relentless. All too often, endometriosis has life-changing consequences, with 50% of cases leaving women infertile. Surgery is the only way to remove the painful abdominal growths, but they often return and need further operations. Dr Joel Castro is the Head of Endometriosis Research in SAHMRI's Visceral Pain Group and his team is determined to find non-invasive ways to control the pain and drastically reduce the symptoms of endometriosis. It's a personal crusade for Joel, who has multiple family members living with the disease.

Dr Elyse Page is a post-doctoral researcher with the leukaemia research group at SAHMRI. Her research centres on investigating new driver genes and finding novel therapies for children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Experiencing her father's blood cancer journey set Elyse on the path to becoming the researcher she is today.

Associate Professor Gill Caughey is Associate Director of the Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA) at SAHMRI. Gill is a pharmacoepidemiologist, a mother of two and a leader of the next generation of aged care researchers.

Tina Brodie is a Research Fellow in the Aboriginal Health Equity theme at SAHMRI and she's on the cusp of completing her PhD.  Tina's an Aboriginal woman with connections to the Yawarrawarrka / Yandruwandha, whose traditional lands lie within the Cooper Basin. Her research focuses on enhancing the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Tina grew up around racism and prejudice and is driven by the desire to create a better world for her two children and the Indigenous population of Australia. 

Dr Hannah Wardill is an early career researcher on a mission to prevent the long-term physical, emotional and economic disadvantages of cancer.   Her work revolves around better understanding the side effects of cancer therapy to improve the wellbeing of people living with and beyond cancer. She also likes collecting butterflies and she was briefly the top female 3-point shooter in Australia when she played basketball as a teenager!

Dr Ryan O'Hare Doig, Group Leader of the Neil Sachse Centre for Spinal Cord Injury Research at SAHMRI.   Ryan’s research focuses on bettering scientific understanding of spinal cord injury and developing treatments for those living with SCI.  He's also an avid cyclist.

Dr Laura Eadie is an award-winning biomedical researcher and the Peter Nelson Leukaemia Research Fellow in SAHMRI's Precision Cancer Medicine Theme. Laura’s research seeks to pave the way for alternative Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) therapies that are more effective and have fewer long-term side effects.  She's also presented a Ted Talk advocating for government to support research funding and she's out to debunk the stereotype that scientists aren't fun!

Eugene Warrior is the Senior Engagement and Knowledge Broker within the Aboriginal Health Equity Theme at SAHMRI. His work is all about connecting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to research and services, ultimately helping to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous health. Eugene was born and raised in Adelaide’s north and finds deep meaning and purpose in working to serve the people he knows personally. He's also a footy enthusiast who can be found coaching at his local club when he's not at work or with his young family. 

Dr Karen Best is the new Director of SAHMRI Clinical Trials Platform. Karen's dedicated her career to caring for women and babies, first as a midwife and then as a researcher, playing a major role in developing the world-first omega-3 supplementation program for pregnant women in Adelaide, South Australia.  She's a mother herself and takes every opportunity to promote health for mums. 

Dr Tim Sargeant is Head of the Lysosomal Health in Ageing Group within SAHMRI's Lifelong Health Theme. His research is dedicated to helping people live stronger for longer and his team recently invented a world-first blood test to measure healthy ageing in humans.  Tim's also a husband and young father of two with a burning passion to leave a better world for his children and a penchant for astronomy.