POSITION / GROUP / CENTRE Research Group Head, Cancer and Immune Signalling Laboratory, CiiiD
I WAS BORN IN Adelaide.
BEFORE HUDSON INSTITUTE I WAS a post-doc at the Ludwig Institute (no longer exists). Come to think about it, the lab in Seattle I did my first post-doc in no longer exists, and the labs in Adelaide I did my PhD and Hons in don’t exist anymore … hope I’m not a jinx!
THE BEST PART OF MY JOB IS seeing students and junior researchers come into my lab, evolve and mature over time into the next generation of leading cancer researchers. Also, travelling to different parts of the world and experiencing different cultures is cool.
I CHOSE THIS CAREER PATH BECAUSE I enjoyed science at high school and just followed it through to University. Also, my first pet dog died of stomach cancer when I was doing my undergrad, so I then became interested about how cancers form. Ironic now that my group has been studying stomach cancer for the last 15 years.
I AM WORKING ON cancer of the stomach, lung and pancreas. Recently I've been working closely with the Metafit community on raising funds for a scholarship to support research into stomach cancer. After leading fitness coach Daniel Wilson (who introduced Metafit fitness training into Australia) was diagnosed with cancer, he started corresponding with me, which led to his network rallying to fund research into a treatment. Daniel sadly passed away in May this year.
The aim is to fund a scholarship in Daniel Wilson’s name that will support a PhD student to progress this stomach cancer research to the next stage. The project would take three to four years at a cost of $35 000 AUD per year.
We're holding a Metafit session here at Hudson Institute to help raise funds on Friday 30 August. The session has sold out! But anyone interested in still donating to this great cause can contribute to the Everyday Hero fund. We're currently $24 579 towards achieving our goal.
IF I WASN’T DOING THIS JOB I WOULD BE … I have no idea, but as a kid/teenager I wanted to be a pilot.
MY FIRST JOB WAS a research assistant in the Dept of Biochemistry at Adelaide Uni. It was straight after Honours and I decided to earn some money for a couple of years (to buy a car) before thinking about doing a PhD.
MY FAVOURITE MOVIES are Hunt for Red October and Pulp Fiction. As for TV ... live cricket matches and sadly ABC KIDS (Octonauts, Go Jetters etc) because I only get to watch TV on Thu/Sat/Sun mornings at breakfast time, and the kids control the TVs in our house!
THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY YEAR SO FAR is any time away from work with the kids.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD to the day I don’t have to write any more grants.
MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WORLD is on a championship golf course with no other players in front of me, holding me up. Also, hanging out in Adelaide watching the footy (Norwood) and the annual cricket test match with my mates there.
OUTSIDE OF WORK I ENJOY hanging out with my family (my kids and wife keep me very grounded), and catching up on a hit of golf at the driving range whenever I get the chance.
MY FAVOURITE PLACE TO EAT is anywhere my wife and I can relax and have a drink of wine/beer with dinner together without the kids whinging or fighting.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO EMERGING RESEARCHERS? Be pro-active, persistent and have belief in yourself. You take a lot of hits in this business, so you just have to keep getting on with the job and roll with the punches.
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