Young Tall Poppy Science Award winners - Victoria 1999

Dr Kim Bennell, University of Melbourne, is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne and a practising physiotherapist who has developed an international reputation in this new discipline. Her research into the effect of exercise and other interventions on bone growth has attracted substantial external funding and her publication rate in peer-reviewed journals is outstanding.

Kim has been promoted to Professor and Chair of Physiotherapy at The University of Melbourne

Dr Stephanie Brown, La Trobe University, is a Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Mothers' and Children's Health, in the School of Public Health, La Trobe University. Her research focuses on women's views and experiences of maternity care, the impact of earlier discharge after childbirth, and mothers' physical and emotional health in the first post-natal year. She is involved in the coordination and evaluation of a Program of Resources, Information and Support to Mothers.

Stephanie has continued to studies at La Trobe University and has been promoted to Associate Professor.

Dr Brendan Crabb, University of Melbourne, trained as a veterinary virologist and attained international recognition for his development of understanding of new equine viruses and for the creation of a vaccine for them. His subsequent work in the genetic manipulation of malarial parasites and of selective inactivation of malarial genes has helped our understanding of how these parasites can enter the body.

In December 2007 Professor Crabb was appointed as Director and CEO of the Burnet Institute.

Dr Desiree du Sart, Murdoch Institute, is a cytogeneticist who has characterised a human DNA sequence that can act as a centromere and therefore may provide the basis for a human artificial chromosome. She is currently Head of the DNA Diagnostic Laboratory at the Murdoch Institute.

Desiree is the Group Leader of the Cyto-Molecular Diagnostics Research Laboratory at MCRI.

Dr Maree Faux, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, is a researcher in biochemistry whose doctoral studies involved the identification of novel protein modifications and an analysis of a new theory of enzyme regulation. Her post-doctoral studies in a new area of molecular biology, the coordination of cellular signalling, have yielded spectacular results. She is currently working at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research.

Dr Simon Foote, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, spearheads Australia's research in genomics. He helped co-conceive, design and bring into operation the Australian Genomic Facility which provides access for all Australian scientists to high technology genetic research, and he heads the Genetics Group at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. His own laboratory is engaged in world leading research which seeks to identify genes controlling inherited susceptibility to diseases such as glaucoma and resistance to parasitic diseases such as malaria.

He was appointed Director of the Menzies Research Institute in 2005.

Dr Ross D Hannan is now an Associate Professor at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Victoria. He heads the Growth Control Laboratory to investigate the molecular basis of regulation by RNA Polymerase I and how the dysregulation of this process contributes to the process of mailgnant transformation.

Dr Douglas Hilton, Cooperative Research Centre for Cellular Growth Factors, whose work included the discovery of a new family of proteins that act as biochemical brakes to damp down signals induced by cells to multiply and mature, and which are therefore potential targets for drug discovery. With colleagues, he is also heading a project to develop new mouse strains as models for human disease.

Doug is now a Professor at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

Dr Shaun Jackson, Monash University,is an NHMRC Research Fellow in the Department of Medicine, Monash University. His work has focussed on the regulation of platelet aggregation and adhesion, and new agents identified during his research have the potential to be important therapeutic agents in a wide range of thrombotic disorders.

Shaun is now a Professor at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases.

Dr Bronwyn Kingwell, Baker Medical Research Institute, is an NHMRC Research Fellow at the Baker Medical Research Institute and a clinical physiologist. She has studied the effect of acute and chronic exercise on cardiovascular function and has been active in the presentation of science to the wider community.

Dr Michael Montalto, Frankston Hospital, is Director of the Hospital in the Home Unit at Frankston Hospital. His work in the area of quality indicators for Hospital in the Home programs is particularly important. Hospital in the Home is one of the most important innovations in service delivery in recent years and has the potential to contribute to patient and care-giver satisfaction with care and to substantially reduce its cost at the same time.

Dr Steve O'Leary, Bionic Ear Institute, is a Consultant Surgeon at the Royal Victorian Ear and Eye Hospital and a Senior Scientist with the Bionic Ear Institute. He has made contributions to the field of cochlear implantation for over 15 years. He is currently an academic otolaryngologist with an emphasis on both clinical and pure research.

Dr Andrew Perkins, Monash University, is a Wellcome Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Physiology at Monash University. His post-graduate work has included the study of the molecular aspects of haematopoiesis and he has used new molecular tools available by producing EKLF knock-out mice to increase our understanding of factors controlling haematopoiesis in the foetus and neonate.

Andrew is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland.

Dr Kenneth Smith, is an Australian who is a University Lecturer in Renal Medicine at the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine in the UK. He has published widely in the area of renal immunology and transplantation and has established a liaison between Cambridge University and Australia to allow young Australian researchers to spend a year of research at Cambridge University.

Professor Smith continues his work in Renal Medicine at University of Cambridge.

Dr Caroline Speed, Monash University, is a Research Officer in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Monash University. Her work in immunology has allowed her to identify and characterise a new gene that may play a role as a potential tumour suppressor gene. Only three years following completion of PhD, she already has eleven publications in major international journals.