Dr Danail Obreschkow
International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, University of Western Australia Astrophysics There are ten times more stars in the universe than can be explained by current theories of star formation rates. Observations of the Milky Way have shown that stars are born at a rate of about one new star per year. Yet to account…
Read More »Dr Garth Maker
Murdoch University Biochemistry In 2011, $1.2 billion was spent on complementary and alternative medicines in Australia, many of which come with unproven efficacy claims. There is a real danger associated with the use of herbal medicine: adulteration, presence of illegal species, incorrect labelling or unknown pharmacologic activity. Dr Garth Maker uses a range of…
Read More »Dr Gianina Ravenscroft
Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Neurogenetics Dr Gianina Ravenscroft looks at the genetic causes of severe neuromuscular conditions and her work has already had a positive impact on families affected by some of these diseases. She is a leader in the field of disease gene discovery for a group of conditions known as…
Read More »Dr Ivy Wong
International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, University of Western Australia Astrophysics Dr Ivy Wong investigates how galaxies form stars and evolve. Some galaxies stop forming stars because they have run out of gas, while others stop forming stars even before their gas reservoir is depleted. Ivy’s research is to understand why this happens by…
Read More »Dr Ruth Thornton
University of Western Australia Child Health Respiratory infections are the most common cause of hospitalisation for Australian children, while middle ear infections are the most common reason for GPs to prescribe antibiotics. In addition, Aboriginal children are 7 times more likely to be hospitalised with chest infections and experience the highest rate of severe…
Read More »Associate Professor Chris Abbiss
Edith Cowan University Exercise and Health Science – Physiology Associate Professor Chris Abbiss’ research focuses on understanding how humans respond and adapt to exercise, in particular how body temperature affects the development of fatigue. Chris has investigated the association between hyperthermia and blood flow regulation, as well as the effect of altered oxygen delivery…
Read More »Dr Olivier Van Aken
University of Western Australia Plant Biology Dr Olivier Van Aken’s research focuses on how plant mitochondria respond to environmental stresses.Plants have evolved intricate signalling systems that can sense changes in the environment, and launch effective stress responses that allow plants to survive. Olivier’s work has identified several important genes that can help plants endure…
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