MIPS scientist receives Australian Academy of Science award

The images show frames of a 3D animation to visualise molecular movements of a G protein coupled-receptor using the 3D graphics software Blender. These frames are snapshots from molecular dynamics simulations, a computational technique to visualise and better understand receptor structure and dynamics.

16 April 2025

Dr Sarah Piper from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences is among five researchers nationwide to receive funding from the Australian Academy of Science.

The Academy’s JG Russell Award provides financial assistance to talented younger researchers in the basic sciences. Awardees are chosen from the recipients of the Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards (DECRA) scheme, providing top-up grants of up to $7,000.

In 2024, Dr Piper was the recipient of a DECRA grant to ‘understand structure, dynamics and function of receptor splice variants’. The JG Russell Award will provide a financial boost to this research.

More on Dr Piper’s research program:

Receptors are crucial proteins that transmit external information across the cell membrane to the cell interior. Using innovative structural biology approaches, Dr Sarah Piper’s project will investigate the molecular details on how the PAC1 receptor, an important G protein-coupled receptor, is activated and how different variants of this receptor change its shape and function.

“I will also utilise the latest 3D graphics tools to communicate the data through molecular movies and 3D animations,” Dr Piper said.

“The award will allow an extended visit with an expert computational lab to apply molecular dynamics simulations to better understand the function of these critical receptors.”

To learn more visit: Five emerging scientists receive 2025 J G Russell Award

ENDS