Dr Kate McArthur receives 2018 Centenary Institute Medical Innovation Award
Dr Kate McArthur, an early career researcher from the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, has been named the winner of the In Memory of Neil Lawrence Prize at the 2018 Centenary Institute Medical Innovation Awards for her work on developing a unique system which allows her to video mitochondria inside a cell.
Dr McArthur, from the Kile lab, has utilised an imaging technique, called lattice light-sheet microscopy (LLSM) and genetically engineered a system which has allowed her to document what exactly takes place during cell “suicide” – a process fundamental to the human body’s development. The discovery could have practical implications for a wide range of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
As winner of the In Memory of Neil Lawrence Prize, Dr McArthur has been awarded $30,000 from Centenary’s proud sponsor Commonwealth Private to support her ongoing research, as well as a perpetual Nick Mount hand blown glass trophy.
With a record-number of entries from 36 institutions from across Australia, Dr McArthur says she is honoured to be taking home first prize in this year’s Centenary Institute Medical Innovation Awards.
“An award like this, particularly for early career researchers, is unbelievable. It can be very difficult to get funding this early in your career. Awards like this help us convince the ‘big guys’ our ideas have merit, and that people are excited and interested in them,” says Dr McArthur.
“It’s a great pleasure to partner with the Centenary Institute to support and recognise the pioneering work of young medical researchers here in Australia,” says Commonwealth Private’s Executive General Manager, Marianne Perkovic.
“We congratulate Dr Kate McArthur – who today joins an esteemed list of In Memory of Neil Lawrence Prize winners – on her innovative work on human cell behaviour that will help enhance the health and wellbeing of us all.”
Dr Yiqing Li from Macquarie University and Dr Ana Janic from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute received second and third place prizes in the Medical Innovation Awards. Dr Neil Bretana received the People’s Choice award.
Many congratulations to Dr McArthur, and all of the scientists for their outstanding achievement.
This media release was originally prepared by the Centenary Institute. For more information about Centenary Institute, visit their website.
About the CIMIA
The annual Centenary Institute Medical Innovation Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate Australia’s bold young researchers who are taking risks and challenging the big questions of medical research, while promoting a domestic culture of brilliance in medical research. The finalists are selected and ranked after careful consideration by an international- panel of adjudicators.
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.