THERAPIES FOR CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKAEMIA
Professor Tim Hughes
Clinical Director Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)
& Consultant Haematologist, Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE (Filmed in Adelaide, South Australia | December 2024)
Professor Tim Hughes is the Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia Group Leader at SAHMRI, Clinical Director in the Precision Cancer Medicine Theme at SAHMRI and Consultant Haematologist in the Division of Haematology at SA Pathology and at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
He is also Inaugural Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.
Professor Hughes is an international expert in the biology and treatment of leukaemia. He led the establishment of the molecular response criteria that are used world-wide to measure response in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and has led many of the key Global and National trials. His group has successfully developed predictive bioassays and molecular targets that influence the way CML patients are managed world-wide. He has published over 350 papers that have been cited over 65,000 times.
He has been recognised for his achievements with several national awards including the GSK Award for Research Excellence in 2017 for pioneering the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and the Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence in Biomedical Research in 2019. He was also awarded the International CML Foundation Goldman Prize in 2017 for lifetime contributions to improving outcomes for patients with CML.
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Novel silk-based biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
Dr Jelena Rnjak-Kovacina is a Scientia Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow leading a multidisciplinary group at the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW Sydney in Australia.
Her research interests are at the interface of biology and engineering, focusing on the development of biomimetic materials that direct cellular interactions for enhanced vascularisation and for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. In particular, she develops novel silk-based biomaterials and investigates how biomaterial properties translate to biological outcomes.
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Nanoparticles & microparticles to combat antimicrobial resistance
Dr Anjana Jayasree is an emerging research leader in biomaterials, tissue engineering and nanotechnology, recognised internationally for her innovative work on antimicrobial nanoparticles and regenerative therapies. A Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The University of Queensland, she operates at the intersection of materials science, drug delivery and cellular biology, developing advanced metallic-based nanotechnologies to improve both human and animal health outcomes. Her expertise spans nanoparticle synthesis, cell–material interactions, and the design of sophisticated in vitro models to investigate soft-tissue integration, osseointegration, angiogenesis and biofilm formation.
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Relationship between language-literacy skills and mental health
In an innovative move towards enhancing mental health services, Associate Professor Amanda Neil and team, supported by the RHH Research Foundation, are undertaking a crucial study on language-literacy skills of patients within mental health care settings. This year-long project, which commenced in April 2024, seeks to unravel to what extent, where and for whom language-literacy skills are being considered in Tasmanian mental health service provision.
