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Fellowship brings fertility scientist home
Posted 26 October 2010
Dr Michelle Myers, TM Ramsay Fellow
A former local student, now an accomplished medical researcher in the USA, has been attracted to return to Victoria and pursue her research at Prince Henry’s Institute (PHI), Australia's leading centre for hormones and reproductive medicine research.
Dr Michelle Myers has been awarded the significant TM Ramsay Fellowship to return to Australia and commence a two year project at PHI in January 2011 working with Professor Jock Findlay AO. The research may lead to fertility saving treatments for women with cancer and new treatments for ovarian cancer.
“The TM Ramsay Fellowship allows us to accommodate some of the ongoing and high demand we see amongst researchers overseas to come and join our team of talented researchers at Prince Henry’s Institute” said PHI Director Professor Matthew Gillespie.
Dr Myers, 30 years old, grew up in Portland, Victoria and has spent the last six years training and researching in some of the world’s leading research centres for reproductive biology. She completed her First Class Honours science degree at Monash University and then travelled to the UK to complete her Doctorate at the University of Edinburgh. She has already published some 20 research papers.
For the last 2½ years Michelle has been a Postdoctoral Associate at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston in the United States. The College is ranked as one of the leading US centres for biomedical research in a clinical setting. Michelle’s research interests lie in improving women’s health especially through seeking new discoveries that may improve fertility and cancer treatments.
“This fellowship will allow me to continue highly promising research which is revealing new insights into the earliest developments in females when healthy eggs are being formed in the ovary” said Dr Myers.
About PHI
Prince Henry’s Institute (PHI) is Australia's leading centre for hormones and reproductive medicine research. Our vision is to improve quality of life through the investigation of hormones in the fields of reproductive health, cancer, diabetes, obesity, bone health and cardiovascular disease.
PHI is currently celebrating 50 years of research since its establishment in 1960. Several events are being held including, on Tuesday 26 October, a one day scientific conference, Hormones in Health and Disease, and a Reception at Government House, Victoria. These events will be attended by leading Melbourne researchers, clinicians and other VIPs.
PHI is an independent, internationally recognised medical research institute with more than 130 scientists, physicians, students and support staff under the directorship of Professor Matthew Gillespie. PHI is located at Monash Medical Centre in Clayton and is a partner of the Monash Health Translation Precinct. The Institute is also affiliated with Monash University.
About the TM Ramsay Fellowship
The TM Ramsay Fellowship was first awarded in 1998 following a gift from the late Lady Ramsay. The award is perpetual memorial to her late husband, Sir Thomas Ramsay, who was a Member of the Board of the Prince Henry’s Hospital Medical Research Centre between 1986 and 1988. The purpose of the TM Ramsay Fellowship is to provide a young researcher with a sound opportunity to further their scientific career.