The Victorian Premier's Award for Health and Medical Research has been awarded to  Dr Wen Qiu in recognition of her research into how breast and ovarian cancers spread.

 

Announcing the award, which carries a $16,000 prize, the Premier Ted Baillieu said Dr Qiu had taken an innovative approach in her PhD work, concentrating on the tissues surrounding the cancer cells and the role of chemical additions to the DNA chain.

 

Dr Qiu conducted her research at the Victorian based Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the University of Melbourne.

 

The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre received the $30,000 Jack and Robert Smorgon Families Award for the role the centre plays at the forefront of cancer research.

 

Three commendees were presented with $8,000 each:

  • Dr Amanda Rickard, a Monash University PhD graduate from the Prince Henry's Institute for her research into the mineralocorticoid receptor, which has provided valuable insights into heart failure.
  • Dr Andrew Steer, a University of Melbourne PhD graduate from the Centre for International Child Health and Royal Children's Hospital, showed a new vaccine under clinical trials in Australia holds great promise in the global fight against group A streptococcal disease.
  • Dr Michelle Tate, A University of Melbourne PhD graduate from the Monash Institute of Medical Research, for her research which has provided a detailed understanding of the immune defences involved in the early recognition and destruction of influenza virus.

 

The Victorian Government and the Australian Society for Medical Research present the Premier's Award for Health and Medical Research each year during Medical Research Week.

 

More information is here.