SA's success at the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Launch

Of the 116 world-class researchers inducted as Fellows into the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) last night, an incredible 14 were from South Australia, and six were from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). 

Being awarded this enormously prestigious honour further consolidates the importance and strength of SAHMRI’s unique model, through its collaboration with South Australia’s three major universities. 

SAHMRI’s Executive Director, Professor Steve Wesselingh, who is also on the Executive and Council of AAHMS, said that this collaboration has led to outstanding recruits in SAHMRI's Theme Leaders. 

“It is obvious that SAHMRI’s researchers are among the nation’s leading minds in health and medicine, and now join a list of some of Australia’s most elite scientists through the Academy,” he said. 

“It is an incredible achievement to have 14 South Australian Fellows among the first in the Academy, and really demonstrates the fantastic work being done in South Australia.” 

The newly-inducted Fellows are across six out of SAHMRI’s seven research themes and are as follows: 

• Professor Alex Brown – Indigenous Health (Aboriginal Health Theme) 

• Professor Tim Hughes – Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (Cancer Theme) 

• Professor Julio Licinio - Pathophysiology of Depression (Mind and Brain Theme) 

• Professor Maria Makrides - Maternal and Infant Nutrition (Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children Theme) 

• Professor Stephen Nicholls – Cardiovascular Disease (Heart Health Theme) 

• Professor Steve Wesselingh - Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS (Infection and Immunity Theme 

The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences was established in June 2014, with a mission ‘to promote health and medical research and its translation to enable a healthier community in Australia and the world’.