One of Australia’s largest charitable foundations, the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation, is celebrating three decades of transforming Australian healthcare – with more than $90 million invested in medical research and a legacy of breakthroughs that are saving lives. Viertel Fellowships support some of Australia’s best and brightest researchers and clinicians, with 70 Fellowships awarded to date.
Dr Mara Zeissig is a recently appointed Lab Head within the Tumour Inflammation and Immunotherapy Program at the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI).
Her research focuses on studying immune evasion mechanisms in lung and pancreatic cancers to identify novel ways to increase response to immunotherapy. Her expertise is in genetically engineered mouse models of lung cancer, CRISPR-Cas9 screening technologies and T cell based immunotherapies (e.g Checkpoint inhibitors).
According to the Leukaemia Foundation, blood cancer is one of the most urgent and under-recognised women’s health issues in Australia, with three times more Australian women diagnosed with blood cancer than ovarian and cervical cancer combined (Source: AIHW, Cancer Data in Australia, 2024).
Blood cancer has also emerged as the second most common cancer diagnosed in Australian women overall – behind only breast cancer – and the leading cancer amongst girls and women under the age of 30 (Source: AIHW, Cancer Data in Australia, 2024).
Dr Mara Zeissig is a recently appointed Lab Head within the Tumour Inflammation and Immunotherapy Program at the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI).
Her research focuses on studying immune evasion mechanisms in lung and pancreatic cancers to identify novel ways to increase response to immunotherapy. Her expertise is in genetically engineered mouse models of lung cancer, CRISPR-Cas9 screening technologies and T cell based immunotherapies (e.g Checkpoint inhibitors).
Dr Nicola Acevedo is a Neuroscientist and Research Fellow with extensive expertise in developing novel therapeutics for neurological and psychiatric disorders, contributing to more than ten clinical trials. She specialises in brain stimulation and psychedelic treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions, with a strong commitment to advancing personalised, evidence-based neurobiological therapies for severe psychiatric illness. Her approach integrates biopsychosocial and person-centred principles to improve treatment access and mental health outcomes.
Dr Anjana Jayasree is an emerging research leader in biomaterials, tissue engineering and nanotechnology, recognised internationally for her innovative work on antimicrobial nanoparticles and regenerative therapies. A Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The University of Queensland, she operates at the intersection of materials science, drug delivery and cellular biology, developing advanced metallic-based nanotechnologies to improve both human and animal health outcomes. Her expertise spans nanoparticle synthesis, cell–material interactions, and the design of sophisticated in vitro models to investigate soft-tissue integration, osseointegration, angiogenesis and biofilm formation.
In July 2025, Paratus Clinical, a Australian provider of dedicated clinical trial services, announced the appointment of Megan Morrison as its new Chief Executive Officer, at the same time as a significant milestone as the company celebrating over a decade of impact in the clinical research space. Paratus now operates a network of five purpose-built, research-only clinics along Australia’s eastern seaboard.
Professor Gordon Wallace AO is the Founder and Director of the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI) at the University of Wollongong and Founding Director of the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) Materials Node. He was previously the Executive Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES).
In Western Sydney, there is currently significant growth accompanied by a notable need for cardiovascular support due to the prevalence of related diseases. It is estimated that the population in this area will reach 6 million by 2041.
With this population growth, there is also a pressing shortage of healthcare professionals in Australia, particularly in the field of radiology, where there are not enough radiographers, sonographers, MRI technicians, and nuclear medicine technicians.
Dr Jacob Thorstensen is an early-career Assistant Professor in Neuroscience and Physiology in the Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine at Bond University. He is also an honorary research fellow in The School of Biomedical Sciences at The University of Queensland. His work has unveiled several new neuroscientific mechanisms which have future applications for movement disorders.
