MDHS Indigenous researchers recognised at Premier’s Awards for Health and Medical Research

University of Melbourne researchers recognised at Premier’s Awards for Health and Medical Research

Three researchers from the University of Melbourne and partner organisations have been recognised at the 2024-25 Premier’s Awards for Health and Medical Research, which celebrates Victoria’s most talented early-career researchers.

Peeneeyt Thanampool Indigenous Postdoctoral Fellows Dr Brooke Conley from the Department of Physiotherapy and Dr Rachel Joyce from the Department of Medical Biology at WEHI were co-awarded the Aboriginal Researcher Award.

Dr Conley was recognised for leading the ‘Staying Strong with Arthritis’ program, which has responded to a community-identified need and addressed a critical gap in arthritis care through developing culturally appropriate arthritis education resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Dr Joyce was recognised for separate research that discovered a small group of early cancer-forming cells found in women with a hereditary gene mutation that increases their risk of developing breast cancer, and identified an existing cancer drug that can target these cells to delay tumour growth. These findings point to a future where high-risk women could take targeted drugs to prevent cancer and avoid life-altering surgery.

A link to the full article can be found here.