Professor Thorburn is one of Australia’s foremost genetics experts, with a focus on mitochondrial energy generation disorders, and is widely recognised as a world leader in inherited metabolic diseases. For the past 25 years, he has worked with children with disabling and potentially lethal mitochondrial disorders, discovering genes that cause these conditions and developing effective diagnostic tests to guide treatment. He has published over 150 research articles and his work is highly cited by researchers and clinicians (over 7,700 career citations). His standing internationally is also demonstrated by invitations to international conferences and invitations to participate in scientific advisory committees.

Professor Jo Salmon has spent 20 years researching the impact of sitting on health and the effectiveness of interventions to reduce youth sitting time. This applied research has been adopted by government health and education departments for implementation in schools nationally and internationally. Her research has also informed children’s physical activity and sedentary guidelines in Australia, as well as population monitoring of these behaviours. Salmon is a Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher, has over 300 publications, an H-Index of 65, and has been an investigator on 31 nationally competitive grants ($16 million) and 14 international studies, including the NIH (US$7.7million).

Professor Kelly-Anne Phillips is a medical oncologist and researcher at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. As a highly productive clinician-researcher, she treats women affected with breast cancer and runs a prevention clinic for those at high risk, while concurrently leading internationally recognised research related to breast cancer genetics and treatment. Her research, and related health policy advocacy, have led to better and more socially equitable breast cancer treatment and prevention options for Australian women. She is also recognised as an effective mentor of junior clinician-researchers. She has authored 129 peer reviewed publications, resulting in over 10,000 citations and an H-index of 41.

Professor Marc Pellegrini is an infectious diseases physician, Division Head at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Honorary Professor  at The University of Melbourne, Honorary NHMRC Senior Research Fellow, and member of NHMRC Translational Faculty and Assigner Academy. His research bridges the gap between basic science and translation into the clinic. He is internationally recognised for seminal discoveries on host-pathogen interactions that resulted in 16 clinical trials worldwide, including interleukin-7 immunotherapy, which is now an approved treatment for the previously fatal disease caused by JC virus; and his novel approach to clearing hepatitis B infection that are potentially relevant to HIV and tuberculosis.