Macrophages, medicines, and mission
Melanie Shakespear on translating science into decisions that improve lives
For Dr Melanie Shakespear, the journey from the lab to the boardroom has always been guided by a single question: how can science make a real-world difference?
After completing her PhD in immunology at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) in 2014, Melanie stayed on as a postdoctoral researcher for three years before moving to Canberra to begin her career in policy. Along the way, she spent time as a postdoc in Denmark, where collaborations with the IMB’s Innate Immunity, Infection and Inflammation group, led by her PhD supervisor Professor Matt Sweet, continued to shape her scientific perspective.
"IMB gave us the support and freedom to travel, connect with international researchers, and see how our work could have an impact beyond the lab," she recalls. "We learned how to attract independent funding, attend conferences, and meet the authors of key papers that expanded our research."
Her PhD research explored macrophages—key cells in the immune system—and how certain molecules could inhibit inflammatory pathways, potentially leading to new treatments for diseases like arthritis. A chance meeting with Professor Sweet at a social event in 2006 inspired her to pursue the project at IMB, and the opportunity to work with Professor David Hume on an arthritis animal model drew her back to Brisbane, where she had completed her undergraduate honours in biotechnology.
"I was drawn to IMB’s reputation for supporting students and early-career researchers who didn’t want to follow a straight academic path," Melanie explains. "We were encouraged to explore how our skills could make an impact beyond the Institute."
Melanie’s time at IMB was also marked by extracurricular engagement: volunteering with the Science Ambassadors program, coordinating the IMB bubble soccer team, and participating in a structured mentoring program that paired her with Natalie Fitzpatrick, a policy specialist with a background in health and pharmaceuticals.
That experience helped Melanie secure a place in the first intake of Australian Science Policy Fellows, an initiative of the Office of the Chief Scientist that trains early- to mid-career scientists to become skilled policy practitioners in Commonwealth departments. Her first six months were spent in the Department of Health working with the Medical Research Future Fund on grant design, development, and administration.
"It was fascinating to be on the other side of the application process," she says. "I also learned how critical stakeholder engagement is, and how the collaborative culture at IMB prepared me to seek and value input from others."
Within two years, Melanie had risen to a Director role in the Department of Health and Ageing, where she led a team providing advice to the Australian Government on COVID-19 vaccines—shaping national policy and ensuring public health outcomes were informed by evidence.
Today, she is Director of Policy and External Engagement at Medicines Australia, where she oversees policy strategy, stakeholder engagement, and initiatives that influence medicines regulation and healthcare outcomes. She continues to champion evidence-based decision-making and ensure that scientific expertise informs the policies that affect millions of Australians.
"Science equips you with the tools to solve problems, but policy is how you scale that impact," Melanie says. "Whether it’s vaccines, medicines regulation, or public health strategy, my goal is always to use evidence and collaboration to make a difference in people’s lives."