From improving health outcomes for First Nations families to epilepsy evaluations and the value of simulation education, Mater Research’s annual Year in Review celebrations recognised and applauded researchers and professional staff across a diverse range of projects.
Prize and medal winners, and grant recipients were announced at the 2024 Year in Review event, held on Tuesday 19 November 2024 at the Translational Research Institute.
Congratulations to all nominees and winners in the below categories:
Mater Research Early Career Researcher Prize: Dr Charles Bell
Dr Bell joined the Genome Plasticity and Disease Research Group in 2023. His research focuses on understanding how transcription factors control development and disease. He has published over 20 papers and was recently awarded a prestigious Australian Research Council DECRA Fellowship.
Dr Laurence Catley Clinical Research Student Prize: Dr Tegan Triggs
Dr Triggs is in the final year of her PhD, which is focused on predicting and preventing adverse perinatal outcomes in small for gestational age infants. She leads and coordinates the RidStress2 randomised controlled trial, has published four papers and received multiple grants.
Mater Research Higher Degree Research Student Prize (Biomedical): Ms Nikita Rosendahl
Ms Rosendahl is in the second year of her PhD as part of The University of Queensland Intercalated MD-PhD program. Her PhD work integrates cutting edge bioinformatics with technically demanding cellular immunology, using primary human tissue. Ms Rosendahl has authored a total of nine publications and has presented her findings at national and international conferences.
Betty McGrath Healthcare Delivery and Innovation and Education Seeding Grants were presented at the 2024 Year in Review. The grants are made possible through generous support to Mater Foundation and are designed to enhance research capability. They help clinicians, educators and researchers create new models of health service delivery and new methods for the education of future clinicians.
The grant funds $50,000 per year for up to three years for each project.
2024 Betty McGrath Education Seeding Grant: Ms Alicia Godmon
This grant aims to improve teaching and learning outcomes for consumers, reflect best practice, evidence-based teaching, and learning and has potential to translate or is in the process of translating.
Ms Godman’s project is titled “Enhancing Neonatal and Paediatric Stoma Care Education: A study investigating the impact of simulation in an educational bundle”.
2024 Betty McGrath Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Seeding Grants: Dr Taylan Gurgenci, Dr Hamid Karimi-Rouzbahani, Mr Matthew Hunt and Dr Hayley Kimball
This grant aims to improve experience of care, the health of populations, reduce per capita cost of healthcare and enhance healthcare workforce wellbeing.
- Dr Gurgenci’s project is titled “Leveraging large language models to fix the hospital-to-GP communication crisis”.
- Dr Karimi-Rouzbahani’s project is titled “Quantitative evaluation of epilepsy through novel computational cognitive methods”.
- Mr Hunt’s project is titled “For women referred to the persistent pelvic pain physiotherapy service, is trans-abdominal irradiation of infrared light feasible and effective for reducing pain and improving quality of life? A proof-of-concept study”.
- Dr Kimball’s project is titled “Rebuilding After Birth: A multidisciplinary, multipronged response to birth-related trauma for the parents of Mater Mother’s Hospital”.
Six Sisters of Mercy Medals were awarded this year with two new categories added for 2024 to recognise an outstanding Research Assistant and an individual who has supported the success of Mater Clinical Trials.
Sisters of Mercy Medals recognise individuals who have made an outstanding contribution throughout the year and, in 2024, the recipients were:
Sister Regis Mary Dunne Medal: Associate Professor Kym Rae
Awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the research output and impact of Mater Research.
A/Prof Rae has worked extensively in Indigenous research, dedicating her work to improving and strengthening the health of Indigenous mothers and infants. Her work ensures the inclusion of Indigenous voices, ensuring policies and practices are strengths-based. A/Prof Rae leads the Strong Families Study (SFS).
Sister Michaeleen Mary Ahern Medal: Associate Professor Katharine Irvine
Awarded to an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to supervising and mentoring Mater Research students.
A/Prof Irvine has supervised more than 15 postgraduate students as a principal or associate advisor. She is always approachable and supportive with genuine dedication to her students.
Sister Eileen Pollard Medal: Associate Professor Simon Bowler
Awarded to an individual who has consistently translated research into clinical practice.
A/Prof Bowler has made an outstanding contribution to developing the RIO clinical trials unit since it was established in 2015. He has been involved in more than 50 clinical trials as a Principal Investigator or sub-PI, primarily in respiratory research and supports infectious diseases studies in sponsored, investigator-driven and collaborative trials.
Sister Madonna Josey Medal: Ms Alex Judge
Awarded to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the operations of Mater Research.
Ms Judge has supported the executive team at Mater Research for the past six years and recently coordinated the UQ Review on Mater Research. She works across all teams at Mater Research, including backfilling the Operations Manager.
Sister Mary Athanasius Reardon Medal: Ms Davina Smith
Awarded to an individual who has made a significant contribution to Mater Research as a Research Assistant or a similar role.
Ms Smith is an exceptional Senior Research Assistant who goes above and beyond her role at any opportunity. She undertakes research in communities, analyses data with a strengths-based lens and provides cultural mentorship to the research team and other teams at Mater Research.
Ms Smith excels in ensuring Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing are respected and followed when working directly with Indigenous communities.
Sister Pauline Mary Purtill Medal, Ms Sharyn Grossman
Awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the conduct, support and success of Mater Clinical Trials.
Ms Grossman has worked at Mater for 28 years and played a pivotal role in establishing the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Trials Unit under the leadership of former Director of Gastroenterology, Emeritus Professor Tim Florin.
During this time, she laid the foundation for many successful trials, demonstrating exceptional dedication and resilience in managing the complexities of clinical research.
Congratulations to the recipients of the Publication of the year awards:
Dr Haressh Sajiir
Associate Professor Sumaira Hasnain
Dr Charles Bell
Dr Katie Brooker
Dr Jesrine Hong
Aleysha Martin
Their high-impact research covered all stages of the lifecycle, from pregnancy and birth, to genetics, autism, stroke and gut health and was published in some of the world’s most highly regarded journals.
The 2024 Year in Review event was also an opportunity to recognise the professionalism and leadership of Mater Research Executive Director, Professor Maher Gandhi over the past six years.Professor Gandhi has announced his resignation from Mater to take on the role of Chief Executive Officer at the Translational Research Insitute, effective from early 2025.
“I look forward to watching the achievements of the Mater Research team from the other side of TRI next year,” Prof Gandhi said.
“It has been an honour to lead this high-performing organisation for the last six years and I look forward to watching Mater Research’s dedicated and talented people continue to grow from strength to strength.”
