RESEARCHER PROFILE
Dr Katharina Richter,
University of Adelaide
Filmed November 2023
Dr Katharina Richter is a visionary leader in MedTech, acclaimed for innovation and gender diversity. With over 40 awards to her name, including MIT Innovator Under 35 Asia-Pacific, and Prime Minister’s Prize for New Innovator finalist, she has shattered barriers as an entrepreneur, scientist, and ‘superbug slayer.’ Katharina’s groundbreaking work in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria has resulted in 6 innovative treatments, 3 of which are patented, offering hope against deadly infections.
Katharina champions gender diversity, serving as a role model for aspiring female leaders. Her international impact is undeniable, as she elevates Australian MedTech on the global stage through panels, collaborations and media engagements. Katharina’s leadership extends to various committees and organisations, where she nurtures the next generation of MedTech
leaders through mentorship and career-development initiatives. Her remarkable journey showcases her as a true pioneer, leaving an indelible mark on both the MedTech industry and the advancement of women within it.
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Biostatistics in Clinical Trials
As a biostatistician working in research and clinical settings, Kate Francis plays a vital role in ensuring all projects adhere to best practice guidelines and are transparently reported. She has served as the lead statistician for the analysis of clinical trials across a broad range of subject areas, including neonatal resuscitation, BCG for allergy and infection, convulsive status epilepticus and her work has been published in the top journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and The Lancet. Most recently she was awarded the 2025 Excellence in Trial Statistics Award for her work on the PLUSS trial.
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Personalised approaches to lung therapy
Dr. Adams’ research focus is on lung cancer, which is the deadliest of all cancers worldwide. He is working towards developing personalised approaches to pinpoint a therapy that is going to be most effective for the person with that disease. Dr. Adams’ research is focusing on chemotherapy and targeted therapy, and he is trying to identify upfront which of those tumours are likely to be resistant to the therapy. He then identifies strategies that will resensitize or increase the sensitivity of the tumour to the standard of care that is targeted therapy or chemotherapy.
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Genetics of the choroid and impact on eye health
Dr Samantha Lee is a Senior Research Fellow at Lions Eye Institute and the University of Western Australia. Dr Lee obtained her PhD in 2017 and the Queensland University of Technology and has since been working on the genetics and environmental causes of various eye diseases, with a focus on glaucoma and myopia. She has published 57 full-length scientific papers and her work has been cited over 1,000 times. She serves on the Editorial Board for the journal BMC Ophthalmology and Scientific Reports, and on the Research Advisory Committee for the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia.
