Professor Melissa Little is an internationally acclaimed biomedical research scientist whose work on kidney development and regenerative medicine has led to the development of protocols for growing mini-kidneys from patient-derived cell lines. This research is likely to change the way we diagnose and treat kidney disease. She has also played a major leadership role in Health and Medical Research across her career. She was a member of the Wills Review (1998-99), HMRSR Implementation committee (1999-2000), National Research Priority Setting Consultative Panel (2002) and the McKeon review (2011-13), all of which have shaped the Health and Medical Research Landscape in Australia.