Awards and Achievements
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- Honorary Fellow Dr Debra Gook appointed in the General Division as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to women's health, and to reproductive biology and fertility as a clinician and researcher.
- Prof Martha Hickey is the co-lead in the SHE-HEALS study which was awarded approximately AU$15 million from the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum (GCRFF)
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- A/Prof Michelle Peate awarded a Cancer Council Victoria & Dept of Health Victoria Cancer Research Fellowship
- Dr Wei Zhou awarded the AGRF Target 96 Proteomics Grant 2025 to do a OLINK protein screen to look at biomarkers for endometrial receptivity using serum and uterine lavage.
- Graduate Research Candidate Dr Su Jen Chua awarded a NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship
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- Prof Eva Dimitriadis awarded the 2026 Fuller Bazer SSR International Award.
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- Dr Melvin Marzan awarded a 3 year Post doc Fellowship by the Lundbeck Foundation for for ECHO-NEURO: Early Cardio-Metabolic Health and Neuro Outcomes Study.
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- Graduate Research Student Yimiao Yu has been accepted into the 2025 Millennium Science - 10x Genomics Fellowship Program.
You can also view our student achievements including our PhD Graduate Honours Board via the link below
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- Prof Evdokia Dimitriadis, Dr Jacqueline Donoghue and Head of Department Prof Sue Walker, all awarded NHMRC 2025 Ideas Grants.
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- Laura Harbinson awarded Associate Fellowship with the Australasian Sonographers Association
- Dr Natasha de Alwis awarded a 2024 Heart Foundation Grant
- Publication Highlights
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- Publication Highlights
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- Publication Highlights
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- Prof Clare Scott is one of eight Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Fellows to be recognised for their outstanding contributions to health and medical research with election to the Australian Academy of Science.
- Professor Brett Manley and his team have been awarded the prestigious Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) Trial of the Year for their PLUSS trial.
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- Professor Brett Manley awarded a $3 million grant through the NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies (CTCS) scheme to lead the BabyCCINO trial, an adaptive trial of caffeine dosing to improve outcomes for very preterm infants.
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- Prof Natalie Hannan, Associate Dean Diversity and Inclusion featured in the Dean’s Update video
- Prof Helena Frawley (Dept OGN honorary) and Dr Karin Jones awarded a Women’s Health Research Catalyst Grant.
- Prof Hickey interviewed in Fairfax publication WA Today
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- PhD student Maya Robertson won 'Best Poster Presentation' in the 3MT competition at the International NanoMedicine Conference in Sydney (June) and a 'Communication Excellence Award' at the 16th Annual Victorian Scientific Meeting for the Australian Society for Medical Research (July). Maya has also receive the Henry and Rachael Ackman travelling scholarship.
- PhD student Stefan Botha awarded a - Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) PhD Top-up scholarship awards for 2025.
- PhD student Dr Madhura Jayasingam received the Richard Lovell Travel Scholarship to attend ASFP 2025 and was awarded 1st Runner-up for poster presentation for their poster ‘Development of a human non-growing follicle density percentile chart’.
- Dept OGN unveil their new Honorary Welcome Video
- MD student Shanee Katz (supervisor Dr Naomi Holbeach) won 3rd place at the MDSC (MD Student Conference) Oral Presentations. The title of their project is: "Do Obstetricians have a legal obligation to make reasonable enquiries about what is significant to patients as part of the duty to inform?"
- Dr Sarah Lensen’s research in the media in The Age and ABC Radio Melbourne Conversation Hour.
- Publication highlights
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- Dr Melvin Marzan's research covered in the media in The Age and ABC
- Dr. Zobaida Edib is a Recipient of a 2025 Reproductive Justice HRI Seed Grant for the project Inclusive Fertility Care for Young Cancer Patients
- Dr Sarah Lensen awarded Best Clinical Paper at SANZ25 for her presentation titled: Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGTA): A Systematic Review and Methodological Evaluation of Randomised Controlled Trials
- IFPA 2025 - Held in Germany 17-20 September, PhD Student Maya Robinson won the Placenta New Investigator Award, PhD Student Student Sunhild Hartmann gave a talk about the potential role of Activin A in placenta and how high levels seen in preeclampsia might contribute to the disease. PhD Student Georgia Wong won a Poster Prize. Georgia Wong Maya Robertson Bianca Fato & Sunhild Hartmann all received New Investigator Travel awards at IFPA2025.
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- Prof Martha Hickey has been interviewed by The Boston Globe journalist Sarah Todd for the story “Perimenopause is the new buzzword in the business of women’s health”.
- Dr Kate Hodgson, Dr Sarah Lensen & Dr Anthea Lindquist were all recipients of the 2025 Strategic Grants for Outstanding Women.
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- Dr Lucy Bartho, Dr Bianca Fato & Dr Natasha de Alwis were all awarded MDHS ECA conference support grants
- 2025 Graeme Clark Institute Diversity in STEM Awards
- Maya Robertson (PhD Student) awarded the Graeme Clark Institute Top-up scholarship for their work
- Mahnaz Sharifi (PhD Student) awarded the Runner Up Prize of 2025 GCI Diversity in STEM Student Award
- Dr Natasha de Alwis and her collaborators in FEIT were awarded the Cross-Faculty Seed Funding Scheme
- Dr Melvin Marzan was awarded a Melbourne Climate Futures Climate Research Accelerator CRX grant for 2026 for his project "Hot Spots: High-Resolution Heat Indicators for Climate-Vulnerable Pregnancies”
- Dr Tanya Tripathi awarded Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation funding for her project "Structured early childhood developmental monitoring for infants born with congenital cytomegalovirus infection: a pilot study”
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- Dr Elif Kadife awarded a 2025 MDHS Momentum Fellowship
- A/Prof Fiona Brownfoot awarded a NHMRC Development Grants 2025
- Prof Lisa Hui & A/Prof Fiona Brownfoot awarded 2025 Ideas Grants
- The Dr Hubert Sydney Jacobs Memorial Scholarship, awarded to Dr Hannah Gordon for her groundbreaking research on diabetes in pregnancy
- The Arthur Nyulasy Prize, presented to Dr Natasha Pritchard for her work on the FROGS fetal growth calculator
- The inaugural 'Heart of the Herd' award, recognising Professor Tu'uhevaha Kaitu'u-Lino for her exceptional embodiment of the department's values
- Dept OGN Honouring the Honoraries Awards awarded to Dr Carl Kuschel, Dr Debra Gook, A/Prof Rose Boland, Mandy Lobley and A/Prof Orla McNally
- Research Symposium Student Awards 2025
- Best 3MT Prestation as voted by the audience: Dr Monica McGauran
- Most Creative 3MT Prestation as voted by the R&RS Committee: Dorcas Serwaa
- Best Graduate Research Final Year Prestation as voted by the R&RS Committee: Awarded to both Alexandra Roddy Mitchell & Michaela Sacco
- Trevor B Kilvington Bequest 2026 awarded to Prof Tu’uhevaha Kaitu’u-Lino, A/Prof Fiona Brownfoot and Dr Elif Kadife
- Henry and Rachel Ackman Travelling Scholarships - 2025 round 2 awarded to Dr Zobaida Edib
- Professor Tu'uhevaha Kaitu'u-Lino is a Dean’s Innovation Grant recipient for 2025
- Dorcas Serwaa (a committee member in the UoM African Students Outreach Program) awarded in the 2025 University of Melbourne Excellence Awards for Global, Place and Community Excellence, Award for Excellence in Building Student Connection and Belonging
- Dr Wei Zhou awarded a CASS Travel Award
- A/Prof Anthea Lindquist promoted to Level D
- Dr Melvin Marzan promoted to Level B
You can also view our student achievements including our PhD Graduate Honours Board via the link below
The Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health is committed to recognising, celebrating and supporting diversity and valuing our colleagues contributions to the Dept and University.
Every day in our department, extraordinary people quietly make a difference. They lend a hand when no one asks, speak up for what is right, lift others with kindness, and bring our shared values of Respect, Accountability, Compassion, Collaboration & Teamwork, and Integrity to life in every interaction.
To celebrate these individuals, we have the Heart of the Herd – Values in Action Award to recognise someone exceptional, who truly embodies the spirit of our department. This award is not about titles, roles, or seniority – it is about the way we care for each other. It is about those who go above and beyond, making us feel supported, inspired, and proud to be part of this Department.
2025 Heart of the Herd Awardee - Professor Tu'uhevaha Kaitu'u-Lino
Professor Tu'uhevaha Kaitu'u-Lino impact on our department is profound and far-reaching. Her colleagues describe her as a unifying presence, a brilliant scientist, and an exceptional leader who consistently demonstrates kindness, integrity, and generosity. Her actions create a culture where people feel supported, heard, and genuinely cared for.
From organising online Zumba classes during lockdown to uplift spirits, to offering thoughtful, unbiased advice to newcomers and established colleagues alike, Tu'uhe's commitment to fostering a positive environment is unwavering. Her collaborative spirit transcends disciplines, labs, and clinical teams, always prioritising shared goals over individual recognition.
As a mentor and supervisor, Tu'uhe is described as dedicated and inspirational. She provides invaluable guidance to her students, closely monitoring their progress while creating opportunities for growth and development. Her ability to balance professionalism with genuine friendship allows for honest communication without compromising her role or responsibilities.
Tu'uhe's leadership extends beyond her immediate team. Through initiatives like the People Development, Welfare and Community Committee and the Elephant Circle, she has made a significant impact on the department's culture. Her colleagues praise her ability to manage complex situations with poise, wisdom, and calmness, especially when stepping in as acting Head of Department.
What truly sets Tu'uhe apart is her authenticity. Her actions are driven purely by her kind heart, living our values instinctively, even in moments when no one is watching. She approaches her work with positivity, generosity, and a deep commitment to doing good.
In the words of her nominators, Tu'uhe proves that "we can be ambitious AND altruistic; we have great minds AND big hearts." Her presence makes our department better, and we are incredibly fortunate to have her as part of our herd.
We celebrate the exceptional contributions of our honorary staff with the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health Honouring the Honoraries Awards in the categories of Teaching and Learning, Research and Research Training, and Leadership, Service and Engagement. These awards highlight the dedication, expertise and leadership of individuals who have made a lasting impact on the department and beyond.
| Year | Category | Award | Honorary Awardee |
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| 2025 | Teaching and Learning | Award for Outstanding Mentorship of Students | Dr Carl Kuschel and Dr Debra Gook |
| Research and Research Training | Award for Fostering Research Collaboration and Excellence | A/Prof Rose Boland | |
| Leadership, Service and Engagement | Award for Outstanding Service to the Department – Emerging Leader | Mandy Lobley | |
| Award for Outstanding Service to the Department – Established Leader | A/Prof Orla McNally | ||
| 2024 | Teaching and Learning | Award for Outstanding Mentorship of Students | A/Prof Sheryle Rogerson |
| Research and Research Training | Award for Fostering Research Collaboration and Excellence | A/Prof Bill Kalionis | |
| Leadership, Service and Engagement | Award for Outstanding Service to the Department – Emerging Leader | Dr Emerson Keenan | |
| Award for Outstanding Service to the Department – Established Leader | A/Prof Stefan Kane | ||