31 Jul 2019
Two Doherty Institute researchers named Australian Museum Eureka Prize finalists
Two of Doherty Institute’s researchers have been selected as finalists for the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes are the country’s most comprehensive national science awards, honouring excellence across the areas of research and innovation, leadership, science engagement and school science.
Dr Mark Davies, Laboratory Head at the Doherty Institute is leading the Strep Genomics Team as a finalist in the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre Eureka Prize for Infectious Diseases Research.
“Our team has pioneered the use of cutting-edge genomic approaches to yield novel insight into the global population structure of streptococcal pathogens including the molecular signatures behind the alarming re-emergency of a classic Victorian era infection, scarlet fever,” Dr Davies said.
“A key focus of our team’s approach has been sampling and capacity building projects in regions where infectious disease is alarmingly rife.”
Associate Professor Laura Mackay is a finalist in the Macquarie University Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher.
Widely regarded as a leader in the field of immunological memory, Associate Professor Mackay has discovered that a novel population of immune cells called tissue-resident T cells are critical for immune protection against infection and cancer.
Harnessing these cells will be key for the development of new immunotherapeutic strategies against disease.
“The goal of my research program is to identify ways to augment tissue-resident T cell formation and function to provide enhanced local immunity, and to develop new approaches to utilise tissue-resident T cells for next generation vaccines,” Associate Professor Mackay said.