Bright young researchers win Tall Poppy awards

Tuesday, 28 July 2015

Seven of the nine categories in the 2015 South Australian Young Tall Poppy Science Awards are young researchers from the University of Adelaide.

Each year the Tall Poppy Awards recognise individuals who combine world-class research with a passionate commitment to communicating science and who demonstrate great leadership potential.

The winners were presented with their awards last night by the Governor of South Australia, the Honourable Hieu Van Le AO.

The University of Adelaide 2015 Tall Poppy Award winners are:

Dr Suzanne Mashtoub (PhD graduate and affiliate researcher, School of Medical Sciences, The Women’s and Children’s Hospital and University of Western Australia). Dr Mashtoub’s research is looking into the use of emu oil as a suitable treatment option for intestinal inflammatory digestive conditions.

Dr Martin White (ARC Future Fellow, School of Physical Sciences). Dr White is developing new techniques for identifying the nature of dark matter, what the universe is made of and how it evolved from a tiny point to its current state.

Dr Martin Breed (ARC DECRA (Discovery Early Career Research Award) Fellow, School of Biological Sciences). Dr Breed is developing conservation and restoration solutions from studying plant adaptation and community ecology.

Dr Renee Turner (Head, Translational Stroke Group, School of Medicine). Brain swelling and elevated intracranial pressure are life-threatening compilations of stroke. Dr Turner has identified a drug that prevents the brain from swelling, a treatment that greatly improves survival and outcome following stroke.

Dr Caitlin Byrt (Post-doctoral Fellow, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine). Dr Byrt’s research involves using biotechnology to improve plants productivity for food and fuel industries, increasing yield and quality of products.

Dr Melissa Cantley (NHMRC Early Career Fellow, School of Medical Sciences & the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute). Dr Cantley’s research focuses on new drug treatments directed towards halting bone loss and improving bone quality in patients with inflammatory diseases such as periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis and blood cancer.

Ms Kristin Carson (PhD candidate and affiliate associate lecturer, School of Medicine, and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital). Ms Carson’s research has found significant shortcomings in the evaluations of existing tobacco programs intended to reduce tobacco use in Indigenous populations. In 2014, Ms Carson was awarded the Premier’s Channel 9 Young Achiever of the Year and is currently South Australia’s Young Australian of the Year.

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