Women in science

Research into sepsis, a devastating disease that is particularly dangerous for children and the elderly, has caught the imagination of Queenslanders, with a PhD student from The University of Queensland winning the 2018 Women in STEM Prize People’s Choice Award.

Bacteria are an important part of our microflora, but they can also cause disease. I study the molecular machines that are responsible for the correct formation of bacterial weapons.

Sepsis occurs when the body’s immune response to infection damages its own tissues. In severe cases, multiple organ failure can occur. If not treated promptly, the patient will die. Yet, we currently don't have reliable treatments for it. Our solution is to target the immune system itself. My PhD focuses on a machine in our cells that is important for recognising bacterial infection and recruiting immune responders. My goal is to discover how we can switch this machine on and off.

The Queensland Women in STEM Prize showcases inspiring early- to mid-career females working in STEM fields whose practice has the potential to benefit Queensland and who engage and communicate with the broader community. To vote for an IMB researcher for the People's Choice Award, and to check out how these young scientists are using life itself to change the world, please click on the images below to vote.

A program that engages rural Australian communities with science also boosts visibility and career development for women researchers, a University of Queensland-led study has found.

Across Australia’s vast outback, parasitic worms are crippling sheep production. The little-known, blood-sucking Barber's Pole worm is one of the most dangerous, commonly killing infected sheep.

IMB Industry Fellow Dr Christina Schroeder will tomorrow set sail for the inaugural Homeward Bound program, which is the largest-ever female expedition to Antarctica. The program aims to help women in science to develop their skills in leadership and strategy and raise awareness of the important contributions made by women in STEMM fields.

IMB’s Mathilde Desselle has won the Queensland Women in Technology (WiT) InfoTech Professional Award for her leadership of biomedical research programs and facilities in the fields of genomics, bioinformatics and drug discovery.

It is possible to combine family and a love of science. PhD graduate Rubbiya Ali looks back on everything she’s achieved at UQ, including mapping microalgae to help produce more efficient biofuels and having a son.