Life scientists honoured with Australian Academy of Science Fellowships

Life scientists have picked up over half of the seventeen Australian Academy of Science Fellowships, which are handed out to Australia's top scientific minds.

Fellowships were awarded for disciplines as broad as high energy astrophysics, mathematics, geology and, of course, the life sciences.

Australian Life Scientist would like to congratulate all of this year's AAS Fellows for their exceptional contributions to the life sciences.

Life scientists who were elected to the Academy this year:

Professor Francis Carbone FAA Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne For the immune response, particularly on the control of chronic infectious diseases.

Dr Marianne Frommer FAA Honorary Researcher, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney For molecular genetics, including her invention of bisulphite genomic sequencing.

Professor Trevor Lithgow FAA Professor and ARC Federation Fellow, Medicine Health and Nursing Services, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University For microbial cell biology and genetics in the field of mitochondrial physiology, biogenesis and evolution.

Dr John Oakeshott FAA FTSE Chief Scientist, CSIRO Entomology For insect molecular genetics and the role of natural genetic variation in evolution, including the molecular basis of insecticide resistance.

Professor Scott O’Neill FAA Professor and Head, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland For insect symbiosis and the use of the insect parasite Wolbachia for disease control.

Professor Michael Parker FAA ARC Federation Fellow and Associate Director, Biota Structural Biology Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute For protein crystallography of membrane-associated proteins.

Professor Robert Pressey FAA Professor, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University For the field of systematic conservation planning, including the dynamics of biodiversity and human activities.

Professor Roger Reddel FAA Sir Lorimer Dods Professor and Director, Children’s Medical Research Institute For cellular immortalisation and the discovery of the alternative lengthening of telomeres and its significance in cancer.

Professor Peter Visscher FAA Professor and Head, Queensland Statistical Genetics, Genetics and Population Health, Queensland Institute of Medical Research For complex trait genetics, including quantitative and population genetic theory.