RESEARCHER PROFILE
Professor Kristofer Thurecht, Deputy Director of Research & Senior
Group leader, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology,
University of Queensland, Australia
Finding better ways of treating cancer, aside from finding a cure, aim to provide a better quality of life for those who suffer from it.
Professor Thurecht’s work focuses on nanomedicine and spans across the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and the Centre for Advanced Imaging, at the University of Queensland in Australia.
Professor Thurecht undertook his PhD at the University of Queensland and decided he wanted to go to the University of Nottingham in the UK, where his mentors pushed him into the new field of nanomedicine. On returning to Australia he brought his ideas on nanomedicine back to the University of Queensland, where he works today.
His research focuses on understanding how nanomedicines behave in biological environments using high-end imaging infrastructure, with a focus on radiopharmaceutical research to establish next generation drugs for diseases like cancer.
Nanomedicine research, particularly in the field of cancer treatment, has the potential to revolutionise traditional medicine and improve the quality of life for those suffering from the disease. Radiopharmaceuticals and molecular imaging are revolutionising cancer treatment by providing targeted therapies and precise drug delivery, showing potential for groundbreaking advancements in the field.
Radiopharmaceuticals utilise radiation as a potent therapy for treating diseases, particularly cancer. As Professor Thurecht states, the development of radiopharmaceutical for cancer treatment is a promising and innovative field in nanomedicine.
Outside of research Professor Thurecht enjoys fishing and boating with family on weekends.
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Investigating new approaches to target plaque inflammation in atherosclerosis
Associate Professor Peter Psaltis is an Academic Interventional Cardiologist who holds Level 2 NHMRC Career Development and National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowships. He has Faculty positions within the University of Adelaide, Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) and South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). Within SAHMRI, he is the Co-Theme Leader of the Lifelong Health, Program Leader of Heart and Vascular Health and Co-director of the Vascular Research Centre in the Lifelong Health Theme.
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Big data research in maternal, perinatal and renal health epidemiology
Dr Erandi Hewawasam is a Research Fellow at the National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit within the Centre for Big Data Research in Health at University of New South Wales (UNSW). Her work focuses on maternal and reproductive health, chronic diseases (e.g., kidney disease, endometriosis), and early-life outcomes. She is the Program Manager for the Fertility Medicine Data Asset for Australia (FM-DATA), an MRFF-funded national infrastructure project linking fertility, hospital, Medicare, pharmaceutical, and perinatal datasets covering more than 40 million individuals. She also coordinates the Early Life Course Platform, integrating around 20 New South Wales and Australian federal administrative datasets to support population health research.
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Gerontological physiotherapy in falls prevention and prehabilitation
Dr Rik Dawson is a gerontological physiotherapist and health leader dedicated to improving healthy ageing through evidence-based physiotherapy, digital health and health system reform. As a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney, and President of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, he combines research and policy to improve access to high quality care for older people.
