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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Infections and other lung diseases using models of human lung tissue grown from stem cells
Dr Rhiannon Werder is a Team Leader at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute leading a multidisciplinary team, combining expertise in stem cell biology and immunology, to develop new therapies for lung diseases. Her research centres around induced pluripotent stem cells to investigate respiratory diseases, spanning acute respiratory infections to chronic lung diseases. Using stem cells, Dr Werder’s team creates models of human lung tissue. With these models, Dr Werder is investigating how human-specific pathogens infect different regions of the lung, the ensuing immune responses, and how the lung repairs itself after infections, especially in people with preexisting lung diseases.
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Cellular mechanisms of traumatic brain injury & concussion
Professor Melinda Fitzgerald is Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research at Curtin University, John Curtin Distinguished Professor and CEO of Connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia.
She has published over 135 papers; recent highlights include Lancet Neurology, J Neuroscience, Nature Nano, ACS Nano, Biomaterials. Currently held grants/Projects total $10.1 million; CIA for $5.2 million of these; $18.5 million total research and equipment funding, $9.9 million as CIA; continuous category 1 grant funding as CIA since 2009.
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Impact of Leukaemia Foundation’s Research Funding into Blood Cancer
Bill Stavreski is the Head of Research at the Leukaemia Foundation who talks about the research impact in recent years. The Foundation itself marks its 25th anniversary in 2025, having funded a wide range of health and medical research since 2000. With a focus on basic science, health services research, treatment, and care, the organisation has invested nearly $90 million (adjusted in current dollars terms) in approximately 370 research grants over the years.
