22 - 10 - 2021
Join us for this week's roundup of inspiring Scholar news...
Curiosity and innovation needed for Cancer research
Professor Mark Dawson, 2006 John Monash Scholar, has recently been interviewed by Hospital + Healthcare magazine. In this article, he shares the many unanswered questions he has had for treating cancer, which led him to pursue a John Monash Scholarship with the General Sir John Monash Foundation. He credits his Scholarship and subsequent time at Cambridge University, with his expanded understanding of different cancers and new approaches to treating them. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the Sir John Monash Foundation,” Professor Dawson said. “The scholarship gave me the opportunity to go anywhere in the world, to learn from and work with the best people, and pursue my career.” Today, Professor Dawson leads 26 cancer researchers and 13 different laboratories in Australia, with an aim of using curiosity and innovation to establish personalised approaches for advanced clinical care.
Featured Podcast: Dr Justin Moore
Can you have a break while performing 14 hours of continuous brain surgery? Find out in this episode of The Scholars Podcast with Dr Justin Moore, 2006 John Monash Harvard Scholar. After completing his Scholarship at Oxford University with a PhD in neuro-genomics, Justin secured a position as an Associate Professor in neurosurgery at Harvard in the United States. Despite not having other doctors in his family or role models in the medical field to look up to, Justin pondered a career in medicine from year 10 and ended up developing an affinity with neuroscience at university. Today he has authored 100 peer-reviewed papers. In this episode, Justin speaks with our Podcast host Justin Kelly about his career in neurosurgery, living and working in Boston and his pursuits in medical law.
Programming DNA robots
Scientists have created ‘mini biological computers’ in tiny bubbles that could deliver drugs for cancer and other diseases. Dr Matthew Baker, 2005 John Monash Scholar and lead researcher at the University of New South Wales, has co-led this study which was recently published in Nucleic Acids Research. Dr Baker says, “One major application of our study is biosensing: you could stick some droplets in a person or patient, as it moves through the body it records local environment, processes this and delivers a result so you can 'read out' the local environment”.
The Australia-France Endometriosis Pain Visualisation Project
The French village of Marnay-sur-Seine is where 2021 Victorian Government John Monash Scholar Jessica Coldrey is currently undertaking an artist-in-residency. Jessica is enjoying provincial life while working on her latest project, The Australia-France Endometriosis Pain Visualisation Project, funded by the Australian French Association for Innovation and Research (AFRAN). She is concurrently running workshops in Melbourne and Paris using art and fashion to communicate pelvic pain. Her intention is to help sufferers of endometriosis get help sooner. From France, Jessica will continue to England and commence her John Monash Scholarship, where she will complete a Master in Humanitarian Engineering at the University of Warwick.
Refugees flee Myanmar for India
Over the eight months that Myanmar has been under military rule, Catherine Stubberfield reported that 5,000 refugees have successfully entered India. Catherine is a 2010 John Monash Scholar and spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ Asia Pacific bureau, which has been tracking the ongoing crisis in Myanmar. They report that Indian citizens are unofficially providing aid to these refugees, however, resources are becoming scarce.
It is our pleasure to invite you to the virtual 2021 John Monash Oration proudly hosted by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Date: Wednesday, 3 November 2021
Time: 12:30PM AEDT
Click here to view our invitation
We are pleased to announce our new partnership with Safewill, Australia's leading online Will-writing platform
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