Professor Jane Gunn is a distinguished academic general practitioner whose leadership has raised the profile and rigour of primary care research in Australia.  As the inaugural Chair of Primary Care Research at The University of Melbourne her work in mental health addresses a leading cause of disability burden.  She has established a unique cohort study to document the patient experience and outcomes of depression in primary care, and forged many successful international research collaborations.  Her research influences policy and practice via advisory roles to the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme, the Australian Government’s Science Priorities and Mental Health Expert Reference Groups.

Tom Kay is Director of St. Vincent’s Institute and President of the Immunology of Diabetes Society. He is Chief Investigator on an NHMRC Program Grant, “Pathogenesis-based Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes”. As an endocrinologist and clinical immunologist he leads the Victorian node of the Australian Islet Transplant Consortium. Contributions include the role of CD8+ T cells and cytokines in the death of pancreatic beta cells and characterization of T cells in type 1 diabetes. These are relevant to developing new treatments for diabetes that could replace the need for insulin injections by restoring endogenous insulin and by correction of autoimmunity.

Professor Miles Prince is a clinician-researcher haematologist whose work has made a major impact in patient care and our understanding of the mechanism of action of a variety of novel agents now used routinely in cancer therapy. His contribution within the field of translational research has been in the areas of myeloma exploring a variety of new agents, cell-based therapy particularly with respect to immune therapies for blood cancer, he is an international leader in the management of cutaneous lymphoma, and has led numerous trials that have led to the regulatory approval of new epigenetic-targeted therapies. In addition, he has made major contribution to patient care through involvement in health and science education, patient support groups and philanthropic leadership.

Professor Ball leads a research program focused on improving population nutrition and physical activity behaviours and reducing socioeconomic inequities in health. Her research has informed state and national prevention agendas and community-based programs that have improved health behaviours and reduced chronic disease risk. By age 35 she had already served in key leadership positions for national and international bodies including as President of the leading professional society in her discipline, the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. She mentors many early career researchers nationally and internationally, and is particularly active in mentoring and advocating for women researchers.

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni is internationally recognised for her research into causes of mental illness in women. She founded, and directs, the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, whose aim is to develop new treatments for mental illness. She has pioneered the use of estrogen to treat schizophrenia, hormones for depression and is a world leader in the translation of basic research in neuroscience to give life-changing treatments for psychiatric disorders. One of her strengths is her ability to explain complex concepts from psychiatry to the media, giving her a role as an outstanding public educator on mental health issues.