Professor Robyn Ward was appointed as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health at The University of Sydney in 2017. Previously she has worked at the University of Queensland as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), and at The University of New South Wales as Clinical Associate Dean of the Prince of Wales Medical School and Head of the Adult Cancer Program at the Lowy Cancer Research Centre.

Professor Ward is a medical oncologist, cancer geneticist and laboratory scientist who throughout her career has shown a sustained capacity for innovative research into the range of issues that underlie the problem of human cancer. At UNSW she led an independent research group that has produced over 200 journal articles, letters and monographs, as well as several patents. In her role as Head of the Adult Cancer Program, and prior to that as a clinician researcher at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, she has made several important contributions to translational cancer research in the area of bowel cancer, including studies of the precursor lesions of this common disease, the development of novel immunotherapies, and the recognition of the role of epimutations in cancer predisposition syndromes. These contributions have been recognised through a Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research (2004) and the NSW Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year (2007).

Professor Ward is currently Director of the Translational Cancer Research Network, a multi-institutional group based in NSW and the Director of the Prince of Wales Cancer Centre. She chairs the Commonwealth Medical Services Advisory Committee and the Human Genetics Advisory Committee of NHMRC, and has served on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee since 2000.

Professor Vadas has distinguished himself in the scientific, organisational and commercial spheres. His research work on the inflammatory response was recognised by his inaugural ISI Citation Laureateship with over 25,000 cites and H factor of 85. He originated and led the Hanson Centre for Cancer Research and now leads Centenary Institute; he originated several series of international scientific symposia and prizes to promote Australian science and was co founder of two ASX listed biotechnology companies. His pro bono activities include Chair of Australia-Harvard Fellowships Program and Life Member of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation and promotion of link between sciences and the arts being a member of the Board of Governors of the Institute of Creative Health.

Professor John Thompson is widely recognised as one of the world’s foremost authorities on melanoma and a leading surgical oncologist. He has published over 650 articles in peer-reviewed journals. He developed the isolated limb infusion regional chemotherapy technique and was one of the pioneers for sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma. He has been a member of the AJCC Melanoma Staging Taskforce for the last two international melanoma staging systems, and the Chairman of the Working Party which created the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Cutaneous Melanoma in Australia and New Zealand.

Professor Teesson is Director, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use and NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, UNSW. Her vision is to build the world’s leading dedicated translational research program for the prevention and treatment of comorbid mental health and substance abuse. She leads a large vibrant research centre (over 70 staff) spanning 7 universities internationally. The innovation of her research has been recognised through leadership of 67 grants (13 NHMRC, 2 CRE) totalling over $21.6M and over 280 publications. She is the winner of the prestigious 2014 Australian Museum Eureka Award for Mentorship of Young Researchers.