@BenchSideStory

Looks at the impact of evidence based medical research globally, the researchers involved and the progress made leading to proven discovery on population health

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Joined March 2020
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DRUG DELIVERY OF TARGETED THERAPIES FOR PANCREATIC CANCER, MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE Associate Professor Kara Vine-Perrow, Deputy Director Community Partnerships and Impact, Molecular Horizons Research Institute, University of Wollongong @UOW & Group Leader, Targeted Cancer Therapeutics Research Laboratory, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia | October 2026 Associate Professor Kara Vine-Perrow is a cancer researcher, educator and research leader in the Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health at the University of Wollongong, where she serves as Deputy Director (Community Partnership and Impact) of the Molecular Horizons Research Institute and leads the Targeted Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory. Her research focuses on developing innovative drug delivery technologies, implantable medical devices and RNA-based therapeutics for difficult-to-treat diseases, with a particular emphasis on pancreatic cancer and motor neurone disease. Assoc Prof Vine-Perrow is internationally recognised for her work in translational therapeutics, advancing discoveries from the laboratory towards clinical application through partnerships with clinicians, industry, government and patient advocacy organisations. She leads multidisciplinary programs that combine nanomedicine, biomaterials and localised drug delivery to improve treatment outcomes for patients with limited therapeutic options. A key focus of her research is ResectAssist™, an implantable drug delivery platform designed to deliver therapeutics directly to pancreatic tumours. Supported by funding from the NHMRC @nhmrc , Cancer Institute NSW @cancerNSW , Australian Economic Accelerator, FightMND @FightMND , and Tour de Cure @tourdecure_aus , her research aims to accelerate the translation of innovative therapeutics and medical technologies from the laboratory to patient care. She also works closely with industry partners to accelerate commercialisation and real-world patient impact. Beyond research, Assoc Prof Vine-Perrow is passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists and has supervised numerous PhD and Honours students into successful careers across academia, healthcare and industry. She is committed to ensuring that research outcomes translate into meaningful improvements patients and the broader community. Source and images: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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RESEARCH IMPACT: 32 YEARS OF UNDERSTANDING, DIAGNOSING, TREATING & PREVENTING THE ONSET OF HEART DISEASE With Professor Jason Kovacic CEO & Institute Director, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute & Practicing Clinical Cardiologist, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney Australia & Professor of Medicine The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai @IcahnMountSinai New York, United States RESEARCH IMPACT Filmed in Sydney, Australia | October 2026 The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute is dedicated to finding cures for cardiovascular disease through world-class and cutting-edge medical research. The Institute's team seeks to discover better ways of understanding, diagnosing, treating, and preventing the onset of heart disease. It is committed to ensuring its research breakthroughs are rapidly translated into advances in clinical care. The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute was founded in 1994 in honour of the legendary heart transplant surgeon Dr Victor Chang AC. In 1996, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, officially opened the institute in Sydney, Australia. Beginning with just two scientists, it has more than 250 scientists, doctors, and staff working together across 26 laboratories nationwide. It is renowned for the quality of its scientific discoveries worldwide. In 2022, the Institute expanded its national footprint by establishing a new heart disease research hub in partnership with The University of Western Australia and in 2025 announced a new collaboration with the Perth-based Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. It has also established hubs in South Western Sydney and Melbourne. This is allowing researchers and scientists to accelerate life-saving discoveries that benefit all Australians and deliver international impact. The Institute is also a proud partner of the St Vincent’s Sydney Health Innovation Precinct - comprised of St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent’s Private Hospital Sydney and St Vincent’s Clinic. In this interview on the impact of research undertaken by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Professor Jason Kovacic talks about the following studies: - Funnel web spider venom to develop world’s first cardiac protective drug for heart transplants and heart attacks doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONA… - Discovery and role of PHACTR1 gene in vascular diseases including spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.… - Artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict disease progression & better outcomes of aortic stenosis doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.11… Source: Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute website SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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LARGE-SCALE CLINICAL AND POPULATION-BASED RESEARCH Professor Christopher Reid, Cardiovascular Epidemiologist & Research Professor, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University @MonashUni , Victoria, Australia & School of Population Health at Curtin University @CurtinMedia , Western Australia & Chair, Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) @ACTA_org RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Perth, Australia | October 2026 Christopher Reid is an internationally renowned cardiovascular epidemiologist with appointments as a Research Professor in both the School of Population Health at Curtin University and the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, at Monash University. He was re-appointed as a John Curtin Distinguished Professor in 2021 and is currently Director of the Monash and Curtin Centre for Clinical Research and Education (CCRE). He has been awarded over $178M as a Chief Investigator and has received continuous NHMRC funding since 2001. His major research interests include clinical outcome registries, randomised controlled trials, and epidemiological cohort studies. He has over 820 peer-reviewed publications (with over 44000 citations and a H-Index of 91) many of which are in leading journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, the Lancet, JAMA, JACC, and the BMJ. He is a Chief Investigator for the Colchicine in Type 2 diabetes trial (COLCOT-T2D), the Aspirin in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial, the HOPE-3 trial, the Statins in Reducing Events in the Elderly (STAREE) trial and the LEADER-PAD trial. He is also the research director for the Australian and New Zealand Cardiothoracic database (ANZSCTS) registry and the Victorian Cardiac Outcomes registry (VCOR). He is the Board Chair of the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) and a board member of the Australian New Zealand Alliance for Cardiovascular Trials (ANZACT) Network and the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance (ACVA). Prof Reid has trained more than 30 PhD students to completion and undertaken assignments for the World Health Organization in cardiovascular disease prevention in the Asia Pacific Region. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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APPLICATIONS OF LONG-READ SEQUENCING IN CLINICAL GENOMICS Dr Ira Deveson, Laboratory Head, Genomic Technologies Research Lab, Garvan Institute of Medical Research @GarvanInstitute, Sydney, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Sydney, Australia | October 2026 Dr Ira Deveson is a mid-career researcher and Snow Fellow. He has expertise in clinical genomics, biotechnology development and bioinformatics, with his lab focusing on applications of long-read sequencing in clinical genomics. His work spans from computational methods development and software/hardware engineering, to large-scale genomic analysis of diverse cohorts in health and disease. Dr Ira Deveson graduated with a Bachelor of Philosophy from the Australian National University in 2012. He completed a PhD at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research from 2014-2017, supervised by Prof John Mattick and Dr Tim Mercer. Dr Deveson's PhD focused on genome/transcriptome research and bioinformatics, and earned him recognition with the JD Catcheside prize from the Genetics Society of Australasia. Dr Deveson was appointed as Head of Garvan's Genomic Technologies Lab in 2020 and has since been awarded multiple significant NHMRC and MRFF grants to support his work on long-read sequencing technology development. He currently holds an NHMRC Investigator Grant (L1) and a prestigious Snow Medical Fellowship. His research has been published in leading science journals including Nature, Nature Biotechnology and Nature Methods. In addition to his research role, Dr Deveson leads the Long-read Sequencing Hub within Garvan’s Genomics Platform. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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IDENTIFYING BIOMARKERS FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY USING SPATIAL BIOLOGY With Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe @aruthak, Chair in Spatial Medicine and Principal Research Fellow, Frazer Institute, University of Queensland @UQ_News, & Founding Scientific Director, Queensland Spatial Biology Centre @Qld_SBC, Wesley Research Institute @WesleyResearch, Queensland, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Sydney, Australia | October 2026 Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe is a Principal Research Fellow at The University of Queensland's Frazer Institute, where he leads the Clinical-oMx Lab. He holds the inaugural Brazil Family Chair in Spatial Medicine and is the founding Scientific Director of the Queensland Spatial Biology Centre at the Wesley Research Institute. He completed his PhD at Queensland University of Technology. A/Prof Kulasinghe is a pioneer of spatial biology in the Asia-Pacific region and among the first to apply spatial transcriptomics, proteomics and interactomics there. He combines these technologies in an integrated multi-omics approach to understand the biology that drives disease. His research centres on immuno-oncology in lung, skin, and head and neck cancers, with a particular focus on the tumour microenvironment and on finding biomarkers that predict which patients will respond to immunotherapy. He also develops liquid biopsy approaches for lung and head and neck cancer, and has led tissue-atlas studies of infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and pandemic influenza. He has authored more than 120 peer-reviewed publications, in journals including Nature Genetics, Nature Communications, The Lancet Microbe and the Journal of Clinical Oncology. His honours include Cure Cancer's Researcher of the Year (2023), The Australian's Top Innovators (2024), a Research Australia UNSW Frontiers Award (2026) and InDaily Queensland's 40 Under 40 (2026). He has also been named on The Courier-Mail's Queensland Power Lists for technology and medicine (2026). His work is supported by the MRFF, NHMRC, US Department of Defense, Cancer Australia, Cure Cancer, industry, and hospital and philanthropic partners. Source: Supplied Media Access Credit: Research Australia 2025-26 Health and Medical Research Awards @ResAustralia SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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VASCULAR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND DEMENTIA With Jessica Lo, Research Associate Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), @UNSW Sydney New South Wales, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Sydney, Australia | October 2026 Jessica Lo (Jess) is a Research Associate at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney, Australia. For over seven years, she has been instrumental in leading and coordinating research for the international Stroke and Cognition Consortium (STROKOG), collaborating with global experts to address key questions related to vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. With a strong background in Medical Statistics and extensive experience as a biostatistician, including working on clinical trials at King’s College London, Jess’s research focuses on post-stroke cognitive decline and dementia. She published five first-authored papers in high-impact journals on topics such as the prevalence of post-stroke cognitive impairment across ethno-regional groups and the trajectory of cognitive decline after stroke. Her work, which has garnered over 1,360 citations, has been featured in international media. Jess has presented her research at more than 10 national and international conferences and has been invited to speak at global events. Committed to translating her findings into clinical practice, she aims to provide healthcare professionals with evidence-based strategies to prevent or delay the onset of dementia and improve long-term outcomes for stroke survivors. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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POTASSIUM-ENRICHED SALT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION Dr Katrina Kissock @KatrinaKissock Accredited Practicing Dietitian Research Fellow, Nutrition Implementation Research and Food Policy, The George Institute for Global Health @georgeinstitute Sydney, Australia & Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow @heartfoundation & Conjoint Lecturer Faculty of Medicine and Health UNSW, Sydney, Australia @UNSW RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Sydney, Australia | September 2026 Dr Katrina Kissock is a Research Fellow in Nutrition Implementation Research and Food Policy at The George Institute for Global Health, as well as a Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow and Conjoint Lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at UNSW. Her work is positioned at the intersection of nutrition, cardiovascular disease prevention, and public health, with a particular focus on global strategies to reduce sodium intake and improve heart health. Dr Kissock’s research primarily centres on scaling up the switch from regular salt to potassium-enriched salt, aiming to save thousands of lives worldwide by reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease. She also leads research on whole grains, examining their health benefits, how they are defined, developing global recommendations, and translating these messages for consumers. Her expertise spans cardiovascular disease, sodium reduction, whole grains, dietary intake, and public health, and she has contributed to research and collaborations across a number of countries including Nigeria, China, Sri Lanka, the United States, United Kingdom, Fiji, Sweden, France, and Denmark. Her work is designed to inform and influence public health policy, clinical guidelines, and food industry practices, supporting the adoption of evidence-based nutrition interventions at scale. Dr Kissock is also an Accredited Practising Dietitian with experience in chronic disease and youth mental health, further strengthening her impact across research, practice, and mentoring. Source: Supplied Media access credit: PSA26 National Conference, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), Sydney, Australia July 2026 SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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GUT MICROBIOME AND GASTROINTESTINAL DYSFUNCTION IN PEOPLE WITH AUTISM Vic Lin, Final Year PhD Candidate, Gut-Brain Axis Laboratory, RMIT University @RMIT Melbourne, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Melbourne, Australia | September 2026 Vic Lin is a final-year PhD student in the Gut-Brain Axis Laboratory at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. His research focuses on understanding the gastrointestinal dysfunction commonly experienced by people with autism and exploring the connection between the gut microbiome and gastrointestinal function. Vic completed his bachelor’s degree with honours at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health before starting his PhD at RMIT University. His PhD investigates how metabolites produced by the gut microbiome may influence gastrointestinal physiology in autism. Using a mouse model of autism, Vic examines key aspects of gut function, including intestinal permeability and gut motility, and investigates whether these changes can be improved using a treatment designed to target potentially harmful microbial metabolites. His research has been presented at conferences across Australia, including the Australasian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association and the Australasian Society for Autonomic Neuroscience in 2025. Through his work, Vic aims to further the understanding of the gut-microbiome connection in autism and contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for gastrointestinal dysfunction to improve outcomes for people with autism. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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IMMUNE MECHANISMS OF COELIAC DISEASE AND GLUTEN-RELATED DISORDERS With Professor Jason Tye-Din, Director, Snow Centre for Immune Health & Head of the Coeliac Research Laboratory at WEHI @WEHI_research & Gastroenterologist, Royal Melbourne Hospital & Clinician Researcher, Melbourne, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Melbourne | September 2026 Professor Jason Tye-Din is head of the Coeliac Research Laboratory at WEHI and a gastroenterologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. His expertise spans the immune mechanisms of coeliac disease, clinical care of gluten-related disorders, diagnostic discovery and pre-clinical and clinical drug development. His work aims to improve the health and quality of life of people suffering gastrointestinal immune diseases, particularly those caused by gluten and other foods. Professor Tye-Din is a Principal Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Honorary Research Fellow at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and is involved in multiple leadership and advisory roles, including to the World Health Organisation and industry. As a recognised leader in immunology and translational science, Professor Tye-Din’s research has been widely published. Most recently, he led the development of a ground-breaking blood test that has the potential to transform the way coeliac disease is diagnosed. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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INFLUENCE OF GUT MICROBES AND INFLAMMATION ON BRAIN FUNCTION AND BEHAVIOUR IN AUTISM With Angela Renata Jiménez Perez, PhD Candidate, Gut-Brain Axis Laboratory, RMIT University @RMIT Melbourne, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Melbourne, Australia | August 2026 Third-year PhD candidate Angela Jimenez is part of the Gut-Brain Axis Laboratory at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. Angela holds a bachelor's degree in neuroscience (Honours) from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and her doctoral research is currently supported by the RMIT–Mexico International Scholarship program. Angela's project focuses on describing how gut microbes and inflammation influence brain function and behaviour in autism. Using a mouse model that carries an autism-associated gene variant, she investigates how inflammatory challenges alter behaviour and brain function. Her work has been presented at both national and international forums, including the Australasian Neuroscience Society (ANS) annual meeting in 2025 and the FENS Forum 2026 in Barcelona. A central aspect of her work explores how metabolites produced by bacteria in the gut can influence neurobiological responses, with the long-term aim of identifying microbiota-targeted therapeutic strategies for individuals with high-support needs autism. Angela's broader scientific objective is to advance mechanistic understanding of how other systems, particularly the immune system and microbiome, contribute to behavioural outcomes in neurodevelopmental conditions. She aims to bridge fundamental neurobiology with translational approaches that can lead to future therapeutic development. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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GERONTOLOGICAL PHYSIOTHERAPY IN FALLS PREVENTION AND PREHABILITATION With Dr Rik Dawson, Gerontological Physiotherapist & Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute for Musculoskeletal Health @msk_health, University of Sydney @ & National President, Australian Physiotherapy Association @apaphysio RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Sydney, Australia | August 2026 Dr Rik Dawson is a gerontological physiotherapist and health leader dedicated to improving healthy ageing through evidence-based physiotherapy, digital health and health system reform. As a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney, and President of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, he combines research and policy to improve access to high quality care for older people. With more than 30 years of experience across clinical practice Dr Dawson founded Agewell Physiotherapy, growing it into one of Australia's largest aged care physiotherapy providers before selling the business in 2020. He now leads TOP UP Therapy, a digital health company translating his PhD research into practice through an evidence-based strength and balance exercise platform that demonstrated that physiotherapist led telehealth exercise can improve mobility, reduce falls and help older people remain independent. Dr Dawson provides national leadership in aged care, workforce and primary care reform and serves on several Australian Government advisory committees, including the Strengthening Medicare Implementation Oversight Committee. He is also a member of Falls Prevention Alliance Australia and the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance. His research has attracted funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, ARIIA @ariia_org, Dementia Australia @DementiaAus and the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases, with collaborations across Australia and Brazil. Outside work, Dr Dawson is a trained opera singer with a Bachelor of Creative Arts, a certified yoga instructor and a regular volunteer leading singalongs in residential aged care. He is married to a physiotherapist, has a daughter who is a physiotherapist and a son studying psychology. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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APPLYING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO MEDICAL IMAGING FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE DETECTION Parmida Ghorbanian, PhD Candidate, University of Western Australia @uwanews & Advanced Clinical and Translational Cardiovascular Imaging, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research @PerkinsComms , Western Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Perth, Australia | July 2026 Parmida is a software engineer and biomedical scientist whose research focuses on translating novel medical imaging technologies into clinical practice to improve the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease. Her current work applies advanced deep learning techniques to retinal polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) imaging, aiming to generate clinically meaningful biomarkers and predictions of cardiovascular disease. Parmida's collaboration partners include Fiona Stanley Hospital in Murdoch, Western Australia. She is the recipient of the Novel Heart Disease Imaging Through AI HDR Scholarship and has received multiple awards for her research, including the WACRA Heart-to-Vessel Showcase Award, the South Metropolitan Health Service 3-Minute Project Competition, and the Data Institute Postgraduate Student Researcher Pitch Winner award. Most recently, she was selected as a finalist in the INCITE Awards, Western Australia’s premier technology innovation awards program. Source: Supplied and adapted SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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MEDICATION MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY USE OF MEDICINES Dr Manya Angley, Adjunct Professor, School of Health and Clinical Sciences, Health Professions Education, University of Western Australia & Director, Manya Angley Research and Consulting (MARAC), Adelaide, South Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Adelaide, Australia | July 2026 Adjunct Professor Manya Angley is an Advanced Practice Pharmacist. Manya spent the first 20 years of her career as a teaching and research academic at the University of South Australia. She currently works as a credentialed pharmacist and researcher through her business, Manya Angley Research and Consulting (MARAC). Her professional activities are focused in general practice, disability and aged care. She continues to undertake research in medicines safety at care transitions and quality use of medicines in the aged care and disability sectors. Manya has just stepped down as SA/NT Branch President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (July 2023-June 2026) was previously vice-president (2022-2023). Manya was the proud recipient of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (SA/NT Branch) Pharmacist of the Year (2021) and the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy MIMS Consultant Pharmacist of the Year (2021). Manya holds, or has held, positions on various multidisciplinary Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DoHDA) and the ACSQHC technical expert committees. She is regularly invited to present at National pharmacy conferences and to present to other disciplines. Manya was appointed an Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia in 2025. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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ENGINEERED PROTEINS TO REPAIR OR REGROW DAMAGED HEART MUSCLE CELLS AND TISSUE Associate Professor Dan Hesselson, Head of the Centre for Biomedical AI, Centenary Institute @CentenaryInst Sydney, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Sydney, Australia | July 2026 Associate Professor Dan Hesselson leads the Centre for Biomedical AI at the Centenary Institute. He is an internationally trained research leader in regenerative medicine, focusing on cells and organs affected by heart disease, diabetes and cancer. His work uses insights from the study of basic regenerative processes to identify novel therapeutic targets for these devastating diseases. His work with zebrafish, which started at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and was expanded at the Garvan Institute, made significant contributions to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of regeneration in this highly regenerative model system. At the Centenary Institute, he is focused on exploiting these breakthroughs in basic science to develop new therapeutic strategies using the power of Directed Evolution to generate potent and highly specific biologic drugs. His research is investigating new ways to repair the heart and improve outcomes for individuals recovering from heart attacks or living with heart disease, aiming to address a critical gap in cardiac care. While current treatments can manage symptoms, they cannot restore heart function once muscle cells are lost. This irreversible damage is why heart failure remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Associate Professor Hesselson’s research aims to address this challenge by developing therapies based on engineered proteins capable of repairing or regrowing damaged heart muscle cells and tissue. Source: Supplied and adapted from Centenary Institute media release (June 2026). SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @benchsidestory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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HEALTHIER FOOD RETAIL Professor Anna Peeters AM, PhD Chief Executive Officer, VicHealth @VicHealth, Victoria, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Melbourne, Australia | July 2026 Professor Anna Peeters AM is a globally recognised public health leader whose career has spanned academia, policy and health system reform, with a strong focus on prevention and health equity. She is the CEO of VicHealth, bringing decades of experience in epidemiology, population health and evidence-based health promotion. Prior to her appointment as CEO, Professor Peeters was Director of the Institute for Health Transformation at Deakin University and a Professor of Epidemiology and Equity in Public Health. In this role, she led multidisciplinary research addressing major health challenges including obesity, chronic disease, health system sustainability and health outcome inequities. She has also held leadership roles at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and the Australia and New Zealand Obesity Society and has contributed to national and international advisory bodies. Professor Peeters is widely recognised for her research into obesity prevention, food systems and the social determinants of health. She established the world-first RE-FRESH Centre of Research Excellence in healthier food retail environments, advancing practical solutions to improve population diets and reduce health inequities. Her work has consistently focused on translating evidence into policy and real-world impact at scale. A Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and a Member of the Order of Australia, Professor Peeters continues to shape prevention systems through a strong emphasis on equity and collaboration. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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WOMEN'S HEALTH, CHILD HEALTH & MEDICAL EDUCATION IN GENERAL PRACTICE With Dr Ramya Raman, Specialist GP and Clinical Researcher Discipline Head of General Practice, University of Notre Dame @notredameaus , Fremantle, Western Australia & Vice President & Western Australia Chair, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (@RACGP), Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Sydney, Australia | July 2026 Dr Ramya Raman is a specialist general practitioner, practice owner, medical educator and supervisor for RACGP Academic Registrars, with research interests spanning women’s health, primary care, workforce development and medical education. Her work is grounded in the realities of contemporary general practice, with a focus on translating evidence into clinical care, strengthening preventive health approaches and improving outcomes for patients and communities. Her research has explored areas of women’s health relevant to primary care, including screening, prevention and the implementation of best-practice care in general practice settings. This includes work examining how general practitioners respond to emerging clinical information, such as dense breast notifications following screening mammography, as well as research into the delivery of sexually transmitted infection screening for pregnant women in Western Australia. Dr Raman also has a strong academic interest in medical education and the role of general practice in shaping the future medical workforce. Through the RACGP Educational Grant Program , she is involved in research investigating models of longitudinal clinical learning in outer metropolitan general practice. This work considers how medical student placements can support GP recruitment and retention, foster academic practice, and build training capacity in geographic areas of need. Across her research portfolio, Dr Raman is particularly interested in projects that are embedded in real-world practice, support high-quality primary care, and contribute to a sustainable, academically engaged general practice workforce. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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NOVEL THERAPIES & NEXT-GEN MEDICAL DEVICES IN CARDIOVASCULAR & VASCULAR DISEASE MANAGEMENT With Professor Shirley Jansen AM The Lawrence-Brown Chair of Vascular Surgery, School of Population Health, Curtin University @CurtinUni & Head of the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital & Director of the Heart and Vascular Research Institute, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research @PerkinsComms, Western Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Perth, Australia | June 2026 Professor Shirley Jansen AM is a distinguished vascular and endovascular surgeon whose career spans clinical leadership, academic excellence, and pioneering research. She currently holds the Lawrence-Brown Chair of Vascular Surgery at Curtin University's School of Population Health and serves as Head of the Department of Vascular Surgery at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, a role she has held since 2015. In addition, she is the Director of the Heart & Vascular Research Institute at the Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research. Her early career was marked by prestigious fellowships, including a British Heart Foundation Research Fellowship (1996), and multiple international travelling fellowships from leading surgical societies and industry sponsors between 2001 and 2002. Professor Jansen has over 20 years of experience treating vascular disease and has played a vital role in shaping healthcare policy, and clinical standards. She has been Site PI in over 50 clinical trials in pharma, device, first in man, RCTS and registries, many global and leading to changes in practice. She has over 150 peer-reviewed publications, including chapters in key surgical textbooks. Her research has attracted over $14 million in funding, supporting groundbreaking work in biologic therapeutics, vascular medicine, and international clinical trials. Professor Jansen is Co-Founder and Director of Atherid Therapeutics Pty Ltd developing a novel first in class therapeutic to remove cholesterol and lipid from the arterial wall in atherosclerosis with inventor A/Prof Juliana Hamzah, Head of Targeted Drug Delivery, Imaging and Therapeutics Lab, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. S Jansen’s other main research interest is in the mechanical impacts on the vessel wall as it relates to arterial disease and intervention, and the development of 3D bioprinted vascular devices with her colleague A/Prof Elena Juan Pardo, an expert in bioengineering at the Perkins. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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NUCLEAR MEDICINE & THERANOSTICS FOR MOLECULAR IMAGING & TARGETED THERAPY Dr Aviral Singh, Clinical Head of Theranostics and Nuclear Medicine, GenesisCare, Murdoch, Western Australia & Consultant Nuclear Medicine Physician, Fiona Stanley Hospital, South Metropolitan Health Service & Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Perth, Australia | May 2026 Dr Aviral Singh is a globally renowned Nuclear Medicine Physician with special interest in Theranostics. He holds a Fellowship from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (2024), specialist certificates in Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection from Germany (2019), an MSc in Nuclear Medicine from King’s College London (2005), and Doctor of Medicine and PG Diploma in Cardiology from Zaporozhye State Medical University, Ukraine. Dr Singh is based in Perth, Western Australia since 2024 and serves as the Clinical Head of Theranostics and Nuclear Medicine at GenesisCare Australia. He is also a Consultant Nuclear Medicine Physician at Fiona Stanley and Royal Perth Hospitals, in addition to pursuing national and international consulting physician roles as Director at Infinity Theranostics. His prior roles include fellowships at world-leading ENETS Centres of Excellence including, Zentralklinik Bad Berka, Germany and Royal North Shore Hospital, Australia, and consultant physician positions in nuclear medicine and theranostics in Australia, Germany, and UK, with leadership in clinical research and development, and additional training in intensive care and internal medicine. Dr Singh has co-authored 50 peer-reviewed papers, contributed a book chapter on Copper-64 radiopharmaceuticals, and holds an h-index of 30. He has delivered over 40 invited lectures for prestigious clinical societies worldwide. Dr. Singh acts as guest editor and associate editor and peer reviewer for multiple reputed nuclear medicine journals. He is an active researcher in the field of personalised nuclear oncology and is an Investigator for several Phase 1 to 4 clinical trials in the field of Theranostics. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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BIG DATA RESEARCH IN MATERNAL, PERINATAL AND RENAL HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY Dr Erandi Hewawasam Research Fellow, National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit Centre for Big Data Research in Health UNSW @UNSW, Australia RESEARCHER PROFILE Filmed in Sydney, Australia | June 2026 Dr Erandi Hewawasam is a Research Fellow at the National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit within the Centre for Big Data Research in Health at University of New South Wales (UNSW). Her work focuses on maternal and reproductive health, chronic diseases (e.g., kidney disease, endometriosis), and early-life outcomes. She is the Program Manager for the Fertility Medicine Data Asset for Australia (FM-DATA), an MRFF-funded national infrastructure project linking fertility, hospital, Medicare, pharmaceutical, and perinatal datasets covering more than 40 million individuals. She also coordinates the Early Life Course Platform, integrating around 20 New South Wales and Australian federal administrative datasets to support population health research. Before joining UNSW, Dr Hewawasam spent over five years at the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) as a post-doctoral research fellow and program manager for Pregnancy and Kidney Research Australia (PKRA).  In these roles, she led patient-centred research at the intersection of pregnancy and chronic kidney disease (CKD), using data linkage, registry analysis, cohort studies, and surveys to improve parenthood outcomes for Australians with CKD. Her work has informed national clinical guidelines, been embedded into renal clinical care and specialist training programs, and contributed to international nephrology education initiatives. Dr Hewawasam has published more than 40 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals and secured more than $275,000 in competitive funding. In 2025, she received the prestigious James McWha Rising Star Award, one of University of Adelaide’s Distinguished Alumni Awards, recognising exceptional early-career alumni demonstrating leadership and significant impact in their profession and community. Alongside her research, she supervises higher degree students, mentors medical trainees, contributes to teaching, and advocates for inclusive opportunities for women in science as a UNSW STEMM Champion 2025. Source: Supplied SEE OTHER RESEARCHER PROFILES Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory benchsidestory.com Get your own interviews and research published on Bench Side Story benchsidestory.com/contact/
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WHY NEGATIVE RESULTS IN CLINICAL TRIALS MATTER International Clinical Trials Day 2026, a year in review: Trial of The Year 2025 With Professor Brett J. Manley, Consultant Neonatologist Mercy Hospital For Women @MercyPerinatal , Melbourne & Professor of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health, University of Melbourne, Australia Kate Francis, Biostatistician (Snr Research Officer) Murdoch Children’s Research Institute @MCRI_for_kids , Melbourne & Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne & Affiliate Biostatistician, The Royal Children’s Hospital @RCHMelbourne, Melbourne, Australia Professor Christopher Reid, Chair Australian Clinical Trials Alliance @ACTAcommunity @ACTA_org (ACTA) & School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University @MonashUni & School of Population Health at Curtin University @CurtinUni, Western Australia A BENCH SIDE STORY SYNDICATION Filmed in Melbourne & Perth | May 2026 Negative results in a clinical trial can be extremely valuable — both scientifically and ethically. A “negative result” usually means the treatment being tested did not work better than the standard treatment, placebo, or expected outcome. The aim of the PLUSS trial was to find out if installation of budesonide (a steroid) with surfactant to the lungs of extremely preterm babies helps to prevent lung disease, or Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). BPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease characterised by disordered alveolar and vascular development, most commonly affecting extremely preterm infants exposed to mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).  BPD is associated with mortality, and adverse long-term pulmonary and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Despite advances in neonatal care including antenatal corticosteroids, exogenous surfactant, and the increasing use of non-invasive respiratory support, the incidence of BPD has increased in the state of Victoria in 2005 compared with earlier eras. Extremely preterm infants participating in the trial were monitored closely after birth and an assessment completed at 36 weeks to check for BPD. Participating infants were also followed up when they are two years old. The trial was led by a team of researchers at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne and the Liggins Institute in Auckland, New Zealand and had 29 participating centres around the world. In 2025 the PLUSS Trial received the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) Trial of the Year 2025 Award as well as the ACTA STInG Excellence in Trial Statistics Award2025. Source: Adapted from plusstrial.org website As seen on Bench Side Story @BenchSideStory Australian Health Journal @AUHealthJournal Produced & published by AUDIENCED Get your interviews captured across Australia audienced.org/contact
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