Curtin Medical Research Institute

25/08/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Honours graduate Ally Williams!

Ally recently presented her research at the 22nd Congress of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) 2026, held in Melbourne from 13 to 16 August.

She was there alongside her supervisors, Professor Zhonghua Sun and Dr Mauro Vaccarezza from Curtin Medical Research Institute and the Curtin School of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences, who attended the congress together.

Ally delivered an oral presentation of her Honours research findings on Saturday 15 August, as part of a session on Immersive and Digital Learning Technologies: VR, AR and 3D, a fantastic achievement for an Honours graduate to present on such a big stage! 👏💙

Congratulations Ally, we're so proud of you!

IMAGE CREDIT: Prof Zhonghua Sun
IMAGE Left to Right: Prof. Zhonghua Sun, Honours Student Ally Williams, & Dr Mauro Vacarezza

18/08/2026

🎉 What an incredible day for WA medical research!

The 2026 WA ASMR Annual Scientific Meeting was held on 7 August at The Hub, Bentley Technology Park, bringing together researchers, students, industry representatives, and research leaders from right across Western Australia to celebrate outstanding health and medical research.

One of the highlights was a fascinating panel discussion on artificial intelligence in health and medical research, featuring experts from Curtin University, The Kids Research Institute Australia, and Edith Cowan University. It really sparked some great conversation about how AI is shaping the future of medical discovery and healthcare. 🤖💙

The presentations on the day were absolutely outstanding, showcasing just how much incredible talent WA has in this space, especially among our emerging researchers!

We couldn't be prouder of our Curtin University students and researchers, who took home 5 of the 7 awards on offer, with 4 of those going to the Curtin Medical Research Institute🏆 Such a fantastic result and a huge congratulations to everyone involved.

IMAGES
LEFT IMAGE (LEFT TO RIGHT) Caroline Wilson, Ayesha Templeman, Isabella Brown, Sarenna
RIGHT IMAGE: Reece Granger & Dr Ricky Lareu

11/08/2026

🎉 We're looking for people to join our new Lived Experience Network at Curtin Involve

Do you, or someone you know, have personal experience with musculoskeletal health, cardiovascular or metabolic health, dementia, or immune conditions? We'd love to hear from you.

We're building a network of 15-20 people who can share their story directly with our researchers, helping shape the way we communicate our work and even contribute to fundraising efforts. It's flexible too, you'll only be called on for topics relevant to your own experience.

💰 Members receive a $50/hour honorarium, plus training and support along the way.

🔗 Apply here: https://www.curtin.edu.au/engage/local-community/curtin-involve/current-involvement-opportunities/lived-experience-network-for-the-curtin-medical-research-institute/

📅 Applications close Friday 4 September 2026

If you've ever shared your health journey through a group like Dementia Australia, Cancer Council WA, Heart Foundation Australia, or MS Australia, this could be a great fit for you.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this with anyone in your network who might be interested! 💙

The project The Curtin Medical Research Institute's mission is to enhance lives through pioneering biomedical research that improves our understanding, ...

04/08/2026

🎉 Congratulations to three amazing Curtin researchers on a fantastic win!

We're celebrating a big moment for our medical research community, with three researchers each awarded $100,000 in funding through the WA Near-Miss Awards 2026 to help progress work that could make a real difference for patients.

Dr Virginie Lam, from the Curtin School of Population Health and Curtin Medical Research Institute, received funding for her project looking at chemotherapy-induced cognitive difficulties in cancer patients and survivors. Her research tackles one of the lesser-known burdens of cancer treatment, the cognitive challenges that can linger for patients long after chemotherapy ends.

Dr Jennifer Currenti, from the Curtin School of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences and Curtin Medical Research Institute, was awarded the same funding for her work on personalising liver cancer therapy. Her research focuses on bringing more precise, tailored treatment approaches to liver cancer patients, aiming to improve both treatment effectiveness and patients' quality of life.

Dr Lisa Alcock, from the Curtin School of Molecular and Life Sciences and Curtin Medical Research Institute, also received $100,000 for her research into targeted protein degraders as a new potential therapy for osteosarcoma. This is a rare but aggressive bone cancer that mostly affects children and young adults, and her work aims to open up more effective treatment options where current therapies are still limited.

A massive congratulations to Dr Lam, Dr Currenti and Dr Alcock on these incredible achievements, so richly deserved for research that has real potential to change lives. 💙

IMAGE: Dr Lisa Alcock, Dr Jen Currenti & Dt Virginie Lam

04/08/2026

🎉 What an incredible few days for our future doctors and researchers!

The School of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Health Sciences and Curtin Medical Research Institute(Curtin MRI) recently hosted our very first Outreach Medical School Holiday Program, giving 12 high-achieving Year 12 students a hands-on taste of life as a medical researcher.

Over three days (6-8 July), students explored real research labs, met our researchers, tried hands-on lab experiments, and even shadowed our PhD students to see what university and research life is really like. 🔬

The response was amazing, with students saying it gave them real insight into future study and career pathways in medicine and health research.

A massive thank you to everyone across Curtin MRI who gave their time to inspire these students, including Prof Nina Tirnitz-Parker and Dr Rob Steuart, along with our wonderful researchers, platform demonstrators and PhD student volunteers. This is exactly the kind of program that helps shape the next generation of researchers, and we can't wait to run it again! 💙

COLLAGE OF IMAGES: Curtin Medical School Holiday Program
TOP IMAGE: Student Participation in Lab Activities
LEFT IMAGE: Opening of Curtin Medical School Program Students with Dr Hani Al-Salami, Prof Nina Tirnitz-Parker and Dr Rina Wong
RIGHT IMAGE: Group Photo of participants
MIDDLE IMAGE: Group Photo Curtin MRI Foyer with Dr Rob Steuart
BOTTOM IMAGE: Final Day Group Photo with Dr Jansen Li

28/07/2026

Help us learn more about women's gynaecologic conditions. Scan the QR code to be involved and contribute towards medical research.

21/07/2026

🎉 Big congratulations to Curtin's Associate Professor Laurence Cheung, who has just been named the Cure Cancer 2026 Researcher of the Year!

This wonderful achievement recognises his tireless work developing better treatments for children with high-risk leukaemia, especially kids whose cancer has come back or who have very few treatment options left.

Associate Professor Cheung works across Curtin University School of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences, Curtin Medical Research Institute, and The Kids Research Institute Australia, with his research based at the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the most common cancer in children, affecting around 300 young Australians every year, including 30 to 40 right here in WA. Research like this gives hope to so many families going through an incredibly difficult time.

Curtin's Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Professor Melinda Fitzgerald, said the award recognises just how significant this research is, and its real potential to make a difference for children and families affected by cancer.

Congratulations on this incredible achievement! 👏💙

IMAGE CREDIT: Eddy Agcaoili
IMAGE: The Honourable David Harris MP (NSW Minister for Medical Research) with Associate Professor Laurence Cheung

09/06/2026

Congratulations to Professor John Olynyk from Curtin Medical Research Institute on being recognised in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours List.

Professor John Olynyk has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his significant service to the health sciences, particularly in the fields of gastroenterology and hepatology.

This prestigious honour acknowledges Professor Olynyk's outstanding contributions to medical research, clinical practice, education, and leadership, and reflects the lasting impact of his work on healthcare and the wider community.

We extend our sincere congratulations to Professor Olynyk on this well-deserved achievement.

04/06/2026

Congratulations to PhD student Keea Inder-Smith from Curtin Medical Research Instituteand the Curtin School of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences on being awarded an AINSE Postgraduate Award (top-up scholarship) in 2022.

In recognition of the excellence and impact of her research, Keea's work was also featured in AINSE's most recent Annual Report (p. 15). This prestigious acknowledgement highlights the significance of her contributions to the field and reflects her dedication to research excellence.

We extend our warmest congratulations to Keea on this outstanding achievement and well-deserved recognition.

03/05/2026

Congratulations to Curtin Medical Research Institute & Curtin School of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences student Gorcin Kurejsepi, who successfully delivered his Milestone 3 presentation on:

“Beyond proliferation: MKI67 knockout has a multifaceted impact on the liver”

Gorcin has demonstrated dedication and perseverance throughout his research, and this milestone represents the culmination of his sustained efforts.

Well done, Gorcin, on this significant achievement. Your supervisors, Dr Ross Graham and Dr Jonathan Gauntlett, along with the entire Curtin MRI team, are proud to celebrate your success.