Student success celebrated at annual Faculty awards ceremony
Eight biomedical science students were recognised for their success at the annual Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences student award ceremony on Monday 6 May. More than 130 Monash students from all health disciplines were recognised at this event.
Congratulations to:
- Sachin Fernando, Bachelor of Biomedical Science Year 1 Faculty Prize
- Xuan Ye, Bachelor of Biomedical Science Year 1 Faculty Prize
- Sanjitha Dissanayake, Bachelor of Biomedical Science Year 2 Faculty Prize
- Lachlan Arnold, Bachelor of Biomedical Science Year 2 Faculty Prize
- Dylan Jape, Bachelor of Biomedical Science Year 3 Faculty Prize
- Christopher Klonis, Bachelor of Biomedical Science Year 3 Faculty Prize
- Tracy Sun, Ritchie Centre Prize for BME3082: Fetal and Neonatal Development
- Esther Tseng, Bachelor of Biomedical Science Honours Prize
Held at the Alexander Theatre, this ceremony celebrated the academic and leadership achievements of our best and brightest students from the preceding year. Hosted by Deputy Dean (Education), Professor Wayne Hodgson, the ceremony was attended by award recipients, their families, teaching staff and supporters.
Esther Tseng received the Bachelor of Biomedical Science Honours Prize for her thesis which investigated factors influencing acute and long-term endothelial dysfunction in preeclampsia.
“Specifically, I was interested in whether HtrA4, a placenta-specific serine protease affects the endothelial junctional protein, vascular endothelial (VE)-Cadherin, and telomeres,” Esther said.
“I found that HtrA4 altered the distribution of VE-Cadherin, disrupted intercellular junctional connections in endothelial cells and downregulated a number of telomere and telomerase associated genes. Therefore, HtrA4 may play a key role in acute and long-term endothelial dysfunction in pre-eclampsia,” she said.
“The honours year was challenging but incredibly rewarding, as I developed many practical skills and built life-long friendships. Being awarded this prize was a huge honour and it reflected not only the hard work I put into my honours year, but also the incredible mentorship of my supervisor, Professor Guiying Nie at Hudson, the wonderful support of my lab and fellow Honours students.”
Now that she has graduated, Esther is pursuing post-graduate studies in medicine and one day hopes to become a clinician scientist.
Dylan Jape, who received one of the Bachelor of Biomedical Science Year 3 Faculty Prizes, said it was an enormous honour.
“I’m really thankful for all of the support I received from my partner, friends and family – they helped make this possible. I’d also like to recognise the faculty staff and specifically Krishan Singh, a Monash BDI tutor, who was almost like a mentor to me with his decades of experience and maturity,” Dylan said.
Dylan is completing post-graduate studies in medicine at Monash, and says this is a rewarding continuation of learning from his biomedical science degree.
“Still stoked to be part of Monash,” he said.
About the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute
Committed to making the discoveries that will relieve the future burden of disease, the newly established Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University brings together more than 120 internationally-renowned research teams. Our researchers are supported by world-class technology and infrastructure, and partner with industry, clinicians and researchers internationally to enhance lives through discovery.