Pfizer fellows celebrate research riches

Associate Professor Lea Williams, of the University of Sydney and the Brain Dynamics Centre at Sydney's Westmead Hospital is one of three Australian researchers to have been awarded a Pfizer Australia Research Fellowships valued at $1 million each over five years.

The other winners were Dr Johnson Mak of Melbourne's MacFarlane Burnet Institute for his work in HIV assembly and Dr Rodney Rietze of Queensland's Brain Research Institute for research in the area of adult stem cells.

The fellowships were awarded at a black-tie dinner at Melbourne's Sheraton Hotel yesterday.

Pfizer's Senior Vice president of Science and Technology, Dr Peter Corr, said the fellowships aimed to support Australian medical research talent.

"Through the significant financial support of programs like the Pfizer Australia Research Fellowship, we aim to encourage leaders in biomedical research to establish a career in this country," he said.