Twelve of the best are heading to the US.
A dozen of Australia’s best and brightest health, medical and biotech brains are off to the US to take up prestigious Fulbright scholarships.
The Fulbright Program, a renowned international academic exchange program run since 1946 has produced Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize winners, and has award-winning researchers and heads of state among some its notable alumni.
Here are the Australian medical luminaries in this year’s scholars:
Professor Nada Hamad is a senior staff specialist in transplant and cellular therapies and a clinical and laboratory haematologist at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney. As the president of the Australia and New Zealand Transplant and Cellular Therapies, she is a leader in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapies. Her Fulbright project at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center focuses on enhancing accessibility to cellular therapies in Australia by leveraging big data and laboratory innovations. The project aims to mitigate the impact of social determinants of health and develop cost-effective, scalable solutions to expand access to life-saving treatments globally.
Dr Dan Clayton-Chubb is a currently practicing specialist gastroenterologist with particular interests in epidemiology, public health, and preventive care. Among other roles, gastroenterologists work to prevent and diagnose colorectal cancers, which is what his Fulbright will focus on – the epidemiology and eventual prevention of the growing epidemic of early-onset colorectal cancers in younger adults.
Dr Joshua Kovoor is a surgical registrar and researcher dedicated to improving surgical training and patient outcomes. He completed his medical degree at the University of Adelaide in 2021 and developed artificial intelligence systems, including the Adelaide Score, during his PhD. Now based in regional Victoria, he focuses on rural surgery. As a Fulbright Future Scholar, he will explore the intersection of robotic surgery and artificial intelligence to advance surgical care.
Dr Brooke Pereira is a senior postdoctoral researcher at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, specialising in pancreatic cancer. Her work employs cutting-edge techniques like proteomics and intravital imaging to identify new therapeutic targets. As a Fulbright Future Scholar, she will collaborate with Professor Edna Cukierman at Fox Chase Cancer Center to analyse pancreatic cancer specimens using spatial digital mapping and AI-driven analysis, aiming to improve treatment outcomes for this lethal disease.
Dr Allen Gu is a resident doctor completing his basic physician training at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. With a background in medicine, applied mathematics, and biotechnology, he has conducted research at leading institutions such as the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. As a Fulbright Scholar, he will pursue biostatistical training in the US to advance computational cancer research and improve patient outcomes.
Dr Antonia Kolovos is a clinician-scientist specialising in ophthalmology, genetics, and public health. With experience working in South Australia and developing countries, her research focuses on the genetics of blinding eye disorders and equitable access to genetic testing. As a Fulbright Scholar, she will develop a genetic test to identify individuals at greatest risk of blindness from glaucoma.
Dr David Motorniak is a resident doctor in Melbourne, passionate about ethics in public health policy. A graduate of Monash University with a Doctor of Medicine and an Honours year in bioethics, he also holds a Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. As a Fulbright Scholar, he will study bioethics, exploring its application to emerging challenges like pandemic preparedness and chronic disease prevention.
Dr Christian Said is an academic and interventional cardiologist with over a decade of service in NSW Health. His research at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute focuses on using temporary heart pumps to manage life-threatening heart attacks. As a Fulbright Scholar, he will collaborate with Tufts University in Boston to improve the application of these critical devices and advance patient outcomes.
Associate Professor Brahman Sivakumar is an orthopaedic hand, wrist, and microsurgeon at Royal North Shore Hospital and an associate professor at the University of Sydney. He conducts translational research on hand and peripheral nerve surgery and is currently pursuing a PhD through the University of Sydney. As a Fulbright Scholar, he will investigate the use of targeted muscle reinnervation for pain relief in cases of amputation or peripheral nerve trauma, identifying factors associated with successful outcomes.
Charlotte Sofield is a PhD candidate at the University of Notre Dame Australia, based in Fremantle. Her research focuses on the health effects of oral microplastic exposure, particularly its impact on the gut-brain axis. As a Fulbright Scholar, she will study the effects of early-life microplastic exposure on brain development, contributing to a foundation for future clinical research on microplastic impacts.
Tia Valentini recently completed a Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours Class I) at the University of New South Wales, where she developed a passion for research on gene regulation and its role in disease. As a Fulbright Scholar, her PhD research will explore molecular mechanisms driving the aging process and age-related diseases, aiming to inform the development of therapies that extend health span – that is, living healthier for longer.
Dr Joshua Wong is a cardiologist and PhD Research Fellow in cardio-oncology and heart failure at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. He works clinically at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital. As a Fulbright Scholar, he will collaborate with world experts in cardio-oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. His research focuses on developing tools which help identify which survivors are at greatest risk of cardiovascular disease. His passion is to prevent the cancer patient of today from becoming the heart failure patient.
