Events

This event is online only. Please join via Zoom:

https://unimelb.zoom.us/j/81499800821?pwd=ejVXY2dRYnppVlFvd1NhSVBGbGJyUT09

Webinar ID: 814 9980 0821

Password: 334612

Professor Louise Purton

Head, Stem Cell Regulation Unit at St. Vincent’s Institute and Professor, Dept of Medicine SVH

Louise is an internationally recognised researcher in the field of blood cells. Her research has pioneered studies showing that vitamin A is a key regulator of blood-forming stem cells and also the microenvironment in which they are made. She does both fundamental and translational research and her research has to date resulted in four clinical trials. She is the recipient of the 2022 ISEH McCulloch and Till Award for her exceptional research contributions to the field of haematology and stem cells, being the first Australian woman to receive this award.

Louise is passionate about fostering the career development of the younger researchers and is an advocate for supporting all underrepresented groups in the workplace. In 2021 she founded Equity in Australian STEMM, which is a grassroots organisation comprising Australian academic researchers (women, men and non-binary people) who recognise the inequities that currently exist that contribute to the lack of retention of people in underrepresented groups in Australian STEMM. Their advocacy (including a petition and position paper submitted to NHMRC in late 2021) significantly contributed to the recent changes in the NHMRC Investigator Grant funding scheme to improve funding outcomes for women and non-binary applicants.

Louise has had a profound bilateral hearing impairment since she was a child, became a cochlear implant recipient in 2018 and had her second cochlear implant in July 2021. She will share her career path in this seminar and provide suggestions on how to improve accessibility for people with different disabilities in academia.