AusHealth Managing Director and CEO Greg Johansen is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 AusHealth CureCell Awards. This year, five exceptional PhD students working on cutting-edge research in cell and biological therapies will each receive $10,000 to support their living expenses, the winners for 2024 are:

• Alanah Bradey (University of Adelaide): The development of novel GLP-1RAs for obesity management and the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus

• Tyra Fraser (Florey Institute/University of Melbourne): An improved cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease

• Kim Gunther (University of Queensland): An anti-inflammatory and anti-infective mRNA therapy for sepsis patients

• Dylan McPeake (University of Adelaide): Improving the trafficking of CAR-T cells into solid tumours

• Rakshanya Sekar (Australian National University): Treat Yourself! Harnessing your own biology to treat irreversible vision loss

In addition, two new awards of $10,000 have been introduced:

• Maximilian Garwood (University of Queensland): Producing therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in microalgae – winner of the Marine Bioproducts CRC CureCell Award for Marine Medical Biotech

• Andrew Quattrocchi (Florey Institute): Next-generation stem cell therapy for stroke repair – recipient of the Dibbens Family CureCell Award for Stroke Research

The 2024 awards program saw a record number of applicants, reflecting the growing importance of research in cell and biological therapies. According to Dr. Justin Coombs, COO of AusHealth, “We received 38 applicants from five states and territories. The submissions were so exceptional that we created two additional awards – the Dibbens Family CureCell Award for Stroke Research and the Marine Bioproducts CRC CureCell Award for Marine Medical Biotech.”

Greg Johansen, Managing Director and CEO of AusHealth and CureCell, adds, "We are proud to support these brilliant minds who are shaping the future of medicine. Their dedication and passion inspire us, and these awards are a small way to help them continue their essential work. At AusHealth and CureCell, we are committed to fostering innovation that will ultimately transform patient care."

Cell therapy – what’s it all about? 

Cell therapy involves the delivery of therapeutic cells into a patient to treat disease or repair tissue. These cells can come from the patient receiving the therapy or from a donor.  

Many different types of cells can be used as part of a therapy or treatment for a variety of diseases and conditions. Potential applications of cell therapies include treating cancers and autoimmune disease as well as many other conditions.