EMBL Australia

An ARC LIEF grant will enable fundamental research in 3D environments that closely mimic lifelike conditions via the bioprinting of 3D models of organs and tissues, realising the vision of the late world-leading immunologist Katharina Gaus.

Associate Professor Robert Weatheritt – based at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research – is the fourth EMBL Australia group leader to be awarded the prestigious fellowship.

An EMBL Australia delegation joined more than 300 other researchers from around the world at EMBL Heidelberg for the 4th EMBL Partnership Conference in September.

EMBL Australia group leader Dr Michelle Boyle has been awarded a prestigious fellowship to advance her work in boosting the immune response to malaria, with the aim of improving vaccines for malaria and other chronic diseases.

In the face of the difficulties brought on by the ongoing pandemic, 2021 demonstrated, perhaps more than ever before, the need for strong research networks and access to advanced services, training and tools in the life sciences in order to rise up to the challenges that this pandemic created. EMBL Australia researchers continued to deliver cutting-edge science in an array of fields, from innovative COVID-19 research, to battling superbugs, breakthroughs in tissue repair and more.

New research by the EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science at UNSW reveals the mechanical processes used by T cells to kill cancer cells more efficiently.

News this quarter:

• What exactly is EMBL Australia? A 60-second video to explain.
• Biotech start-up receives funding for muscular dystrophies
• Grants won to fight obesity and study cell size regulation
• 2022 PhD Course inspires attendees
• Talking mRNA with the PM
• Max Cryle wins Tregear Award
• Get to know… Ville-Petteri Mäkinen

And more:

• Job opportunities
• Student opportunities
• Upcoming events
• Recent publications

A new biotech company led by Professor Peter Currie and Associate Professor Mikaël Martino, will receive more than half a million dollars to develop much-needed new therapies for the treatment of debilitating muscular dystrophies. 

A/Prof Robert Weatheritt was awarded an RNA Future Leaders grant to develop drugs to fight obesity and Dr Senthil Arumugam won a Team Science grant to further investigate cell size regulation.

Associate Professor Ville-Petteri Mäkinen is an EMBL Australia Group Leader, based at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and the University of Adelaide.