Monash researcher receives ACvA Award for leadership in stroke research
Prof Dominique Cadilhac, ACvA award recipient
Monash University’s Professor Dominique Cadilhac has been named joint recipient of the 2025 Australian Cardiovascular Alliance (ACvA) Excellence in Cardiovascular Research Mentor Award, recognising more than three decades of leadership in stroke research and her exceptional commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientific and clinical leaders.
The award was presented at a national ceremony celebrating Australia’s most innovative cardiovascular and stroke researchers. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally and accounts for one in every five deaths nationwide.
Professor Cadilhac, Co-director and Research Lead of the Stroke and Ageing group (STAR) within the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health and Deputy Director of the Victorian Heart Institute,
was recognised for building national capacity in stroke research through inclusive, career-shaping mentorship. Her commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, work-life balance and researcher independence has helped cultivate a generation of clinician-researchers, public health academics and data scientists who are now leaders across Australia’s cardiovascular research and policy landscape.
Being invited to be a mentor is a privilege and an important responsibility, said Professor Cadilhac. It is a role that she deeply enjoys.
“Engaging in open and respectful conversations with mentees, whether during a single career‑planning discussion or as part of a longer‑term relationship, requires trust and a willingness to be vulnerable. These interactions play a vital role in supporting emerging researchers, fostering meaningful professional growth, and providing reassurance when one is contemplating a new direction or a different career path,” Professor Cadilhac said.
“I am grateful to those who have nominated me for this prestigious ACvA award, and for my own mentors who have shaped my approach and supported my journey.”
At Monash University, Professor Cadilhac’s work spans stroke systems of care, data-driven health improvement and clinical registry research. Her leadership has strengthened collaborations between researchers, clinicians, policy-makers and health services, ensuring that evidence translates into improved outcomes for patients.
The ACvA Awards highlight excellence across the full spectrum of cardiovascular and stroke research, from discovery science through to translation and clinical impact. This year’s finalists reflect the depth and diversity of Australian research, with projects spanning medication adherence, hypertension treatment, gut microbiome research and advances in precision medicine.
Professor Cadilhac’s recognition reinforces the University’s leadership in cardiovascular and stroke research and its commitment to fostering the next generation of research excellence. She is an exceptional leader whose impact extends far beyond her own research achievements.
This ACvA award recognises not only her outstanding contribution to stroke research, but her deep commitment to building capacity, fostering collaboration and strengthening Australia’s cardiovascular research community. We are delighted to see her honoured in this way.
Professor Cadilhac shares the 2025 Mentor Award with Professor John Fraser.
About Monash University
Monash University is Australia’s largest university with more than 80,000 students. In the 60 years since its foundation, it has developed a reputation for world-leading high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation.
With four campuses in Australia and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, it is one of the most internationalised Australian universities.
As a leading international medical research university with the largest medical faculty in Australia and integration with leading Australian teaching hospitals, we consistently rank in the top 50 universities worldwide for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences.
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