The Florey

Join us for a special panel event in celebration of International Women’s Day, and to formally launch The Florey’s Levelling Up career progression program. We will delve into the unique challenges women face in the scientific field, strategies for career advancement and how we can foster an inclusive and supportive environment for future generations. Our event will feature esteemed leaders and panellists: ➡️ The Hon Gabrielle Upton FAICD FRSN. Ms Upton has 30 years combined experience as a lawyer, banker, government minister and university Deputy Chancellor. She currently serves as a Non-executive Director of The Florey. ➡️ Hon. Jaala Pulford, an accomplished leader with experience in governance, public administration and cabinet government, focused on working with and being part of organisations with big goals to improve the lives of others. ➡️ Professor Lauren Ayton AM from the University of Melbourne and Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), a decorated researcher with over 15 years experience in ophthalmic medical devices and vision restoration. Prof Ayton is passionate about innovation, commercialisation, science communication and knowledge translation. ➡️ Dr Ranjana Srivastava OAM, an oncologist, two-time Fulbright scholar and award-winning author, a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia for her contribution to doctor-patient communication, and a two-time finalist for The Walkley Award for Excellence in Journalism. Join us next Wednesday 5 March 2025 at 12:30pm at The Florey. Get tickets here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gcsVyTZM #InternationalWomensDay #WomensDay #IWD2025 #IWD #TheFlorey

We are thrilled to share that Professor Ashley Bush, Dr Pratishtha Chatterjee and Dr Niamh Moriarty have received a combined total of over $5 million in the latest National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grants scheme, announced today by Minister Mark Butler. “This year’s crop of incredible researchers will further cement Australia’s status as a world leader in health and medical research," said the Minister for Health and Aged Care. 🧠 Professor Bush has received $3 million for the discovery and validation of drugs and diagnostics to propel a new era of dementia research. 🧠 Dr Chatterjee has received $1.6 million to focus on advancing biomarker discovery at a molecular level for dementia. 🧠 Dr Moriarty has received $600,000 to improve the functional integration of human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural grafts. We also look forward to welcoming Dr Carlos Gantner who has received an Investigator Grant for another stem-cell derived neural graft project – Dr Gantner will be joining The Florey to work alongside Professor Clare Parish in the coming months. Finally, we are excited to collaborate with Associate Professor Lachlan Miles on his project to test a new therapy for neuroinflammation after heart surgery. Read the full release on other Australian research funding successes ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gBPi2sfh

Amber’s life as a teen was dictated by her seizures. It was an unusual cause of her seizures that proved to be the key: brushing her teeth. Luckily, the latest technology in neuroimaging, particularly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), allows us to see brain activity in an entirely new way. In our new Brain Matters Podcast episode, we speak to Amber and hear her story – together with Dr David Vaughan and our Neuroimaging Lead Associate Professor Heath Pardoe. Amber’s experience of triggering a seizure during an MRI scan enabled her doctors at Austin Health to take decisive action and perform a necessary brain surgery in a less invasive way. We discuss how advanced imaging can help patients like Amber, and how we are finding new ways to push the boundaries of this technology. 🎧 Listen to the new episode on the Brain Matters Podcast, out now! https://lnkd.in/g2mJ2Usn

Welcome to our new starters who are commencing their studies at The Florey this year! ✨ We are fortunate to welcome 21 PhD candidates, 11 honours and 12 masters students to The Florey's vibrant community. Our new students will be placed across The Florey's various research missions and groups. Maya (left) is joining our sepsis research program, under the guidance of Professor Yugeesh Lankadeva. Gabriella (right) is starting her research in Professor Clare Parish's lab, focusing on brain health and repair. 🔗 Learn about student life at The Florey: https://lnkd.in/gHihvu2w

🧬 Join our first public event of the year this World Epilepsy Day (Purple Day), discussing the way forward in childhood epilepsy research. Severe genetic epilepsy can affect newborns, infants and children. With our partners, The Florey is committed to making a difference. Our panel and lecture will feature leading epilepsy researchers Professor Christopher Reid and Associate Professor Snezana Maljevic from The Florey, Dr Katherine Howell from The Royal Children's Hospital Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), and our guest speakers, Stuart Place from A Dad's Will and Mel Anderson from PURA Foundation Australia. We will cover advances in research, clinical diagnosis and treatment and the hope for children and families affected. 📅 Wednesday, 26 March 2025 ⏰ 5:30–6:30pm 📍 Ian Potter Auditorium, Kenneth Myer Building, 30 Royal Parade Parkville VIC This event is hosted both in-person and online. A recording will be made available for all who register via Humanitix. Wearing purple is encouraged! Register now ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ggZdVjV7

In a story written by Melissa Meehan for the Australian Associated Press (AAP), Dr Pratishtha Chatterjee speaks on the importance of advancing research and care into Lewy body dementia (LBD). The article highlights the story of dementia patient Annette, one of the 10,000 Australians who received a Lewy body dementia diagnosis. "This beautifully written piece truly captures the rollercoaster of Lewy body dementia," Dr Chatterjee says. "It highlights both the heartbreaking challenges and the moments of resilience in the lives of people living with LBD and their families." Dr Chatterjee is a neuroscientist at The Florey committed to improving the diagnostic accuracy of Lewy body dementia. Read the story ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gU4AK3YV

What can the future of science look like if we start lifting women in research today? Dr Francesca Alves from our Translational Neurodegeneration Group shares her hope for seeing women in every stage of the career trajectory, and what impact it can have on women who are starting their careers in science. 📽️ Watch her full story: https://lnkd.in/gMds3pcV #InternationalWomensDay #Neuroscience #IWD #IWD2025 #womeninSTEM #WomeninScience Music: "A Kind of Hope" by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

This is the year to be optimistic about Alzheimer's disease research, according to the Herald Sun's interview with Professor Scott Ayton earlier this week. "We're excited because we are starting to see some of our research translate into the real world." Professor Ayton leads our Dementia Mission and is the Director of our Centre of Research Excellence in Enhanced Dementia Diagnosis (CREEDD). Biomarker blood tests to detect Alzheimer's disease, mRNA technology and new disease-modifying therapies are only some of what could be this year's 'game changers' in treating this disease. Read the article written by Robyn Riley on the Herald Sun ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gBZuCQzW

Happy Valentine's Day from all of us at The Florey ❤️🔬 'Neural Love' is a microscopic image captured by our PhD student Montanna Waters. The image visualises stem cells that have become neural progenitor cells. This includes early brain cells (red), cell nuclei (blue), and N-cadherin, a protein that helps cells stick together (green). The cells have arranged around the central space in such a way that the green appears to be in the shape of a heart! 🔗 See more of The Florey's Neuropix gallery: https://lnkd.in/gyeQR6YW 📤 Send this to someone who *lights up* the room.

Great to see Mr Anton de Weger, Technology Lead of the Australian Epilepsy Project at The Florey, speak at Digital Health Week NZ about the team's work in using advanced neuroimaging technology to help identify and reduce seizures for patients with epilepsy. Watch the full interview: https://lnkd.in/gTyg8c4E