Awards
WMS Poster Prize (2024)
Jordan Crane, a second-year PhD student in the Disease Models and Therapies Team, attended the World Muscle Society Congress in Prague and was awarded a poster prize. His poster, “Characterising patient iPSC-derived models of RYR1-related myopathies”, describes his work on developing new laboratory models for RYR1-related myopathies (RYR1-RM). RYR1-RM are muscle diseases caused by genetic variants in the ryanodine receptor, a calcium channel found in muscle cells with a crucial role in muscle contraction. Patients with RYR1-RM have very weak muscles, which can impact their movement, swallowing and breathing. Currently, no treatments are available for these diseases. This is partly due to a lack of good laboratory models in which to test potential treatments. Jordan is developing new laboratory models by converting RYR1-RM patient blood cells into muscle cells using a process called reprogramming. These muscle cells carry the genetic variant causing the disease in each patient, as well as all their other unique genetic information. Jordan hopes to use these cells to test potential treatments for RYR1-RM.
ICNMD Award Winning Poster (2024)
Awarded the Best Poster Prize at the 2024 International Congress on Neuromuscular Diseases (ICNMD), held in Perth. His award-winning poster, “A Deep Intronic Variant in MME Causes Autosomal Recessive Charcot-Marie-Tooth Neuropathy Through Aberrant Splicing”, is based on a significant publication and represents groundbreaking research. This study, a collaboration with Marina Kennerson’s Group in Sydney, marks the first known deep intronic variant in MME linked to this rare form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT2T).
Aspire Award (2024)
Jordan Crane, a second-year PhD student in the Disease Models and Therapies Team, has received an Aspire Awards Early-Stage Career Researcher Travel Grant. The Aspire Awards support scientists to attend international conferences and engage with leading experts in their field. This year, the program introduced 3 new awards for emerging scientists, and Jordan was chosen as the recipient from the Harry Perkins Institute. Jordan will use his award to attend the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society Annual Meeting, where he will connect with experts in the development of oligonucleotide drugs. The aim of Jordan’s PhD research is to develop treatments for RYR1-related myopathies, and oligonucleotide drugs which are a promising potential strategy as they are already in use for other muscle diseases. He hopes to connect with experts who can advise him on strategies to maximise delivery to the muscles while minimising potential side effects.
50 remarkable and inspirational women in Australian science (2024)
International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. In honour of IWD 2024, Cosmos is showcasing the achievements of Gina Ravenscroft along with 50 of Australia’s outstanding female researchers and scientists.
Lorne Genome Mid-Career Researcher Award (2022)
A/Prof Gina Ravenscroft was acknowledged for her outstanding contributions to Australian genomic research, including novel analytical concepts.
Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS) Young Tall Poppy (2016)
Congratulations to A/Prof Gina Ravenscroft who have been acknowledged as leading Western Australian scientists, receiving a Young Tall Poppy Science Award at a recent State ceremony.
The Tall Poppy Awards recognise the outstanding research achievements of young scientists and acknowledge communication of research outcomes to the broader community.