Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Alumni

11/11/2025

On Remembrance Day, we remember the courage of those who served and the compassion of those who turned knowledge into healing. This includes scientists, doctors, nurses and medical researchers who used their knowledge to care for the wounded, prevent disease, and improve human health.

Throughout WEHI’s history, many of our alumni have answered the call to serve, using their scientific and medical expertise to protect and care for others in times of great need.

Dr E.V. Keogh, who served as a stretcher-bearer in World War I before dedicating his life to advancing medicine and public health in Australia, exemplified the courage and compassion that continue to guide WEHI researchers today.

At the outbreak of World War II, Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet directed the Institute’s research towards developing an influenza vaccine, determined to prevent a repeat of the devastating pandemic that followed the First World War.

He also expanded WEHI’s research into tropical diseases such as scrub typhus, which afflicted Australian troops in North Queensland and New Guinea. This vital work came at a great cost – the life of a gifted young scientist, Miss Dora Lush, whose death in the pursuit of medical discovery remains one of the most poignant chapters in WEHI’s history.

Sir Ian Wood was another WEHI alum whose work bridged medicine and military service. A pioneering clinician and researcher, he introduced the concept of a national blood bank through his work with the Australian Red Cross and helped establish modern transfusion medicine in Australia. During World War II, as part of the Australian Army Medical Corps, Wood oversaw blood storage and resuscitation efforts for troops in the Middle East and North Africa. Returning to WEHI after the war, he became Assistant Director under Burnet and the founding head of the Clinical Research Unit, helping to usher in a new era of collaboration between laboratory science and patient care.

These are just a few of the WEHI alumni whose dedication, courage and compassion shaped both the Institute and the wider world. From the battlefield to the bench, their legacy continues to inspire generations of researchers to pursue discoveries that improve and save lives.

Today, we pause to reflect on bravery, sacrifice, and the enduring human spirit that drives both service and scientific discovery.

Lest we forget. ❤️

📷Image 1: Dr E. V. Keogh
📷Image 2: Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet
📷Image 3: Dora Lush
📷Image 4: Sir Ian Wood

07/11/2025

Celebrating Animal Technicians Week at WEHI 🐭

This week we celebrate our incredible animal technicians, the dedicated professionals who care for the animals that make medical discoveries possible, improving millions of lives worldwide.

Most of us have benefited from research using animals. If you have ever taken antibiotics, been under anaesthesia or had surgery, or had a vaccine; if anyone you know has had a blood transfusion, dialysis, chemotherapy, or a joint replacement... all these breakthroughs were made possible through research using animal models.

At WEHI, our animal technicians foster a culture of care, combining rigorous training with compassion and expertise to uphold the highest standards of animal welfare Their work underpins discoveries that shape a healthier future for us all.

Thank you to our animal techs – the unsung contributors behind the breakthroughs.



📷A dedicated team of animal technicians established these commemorative tributes at Parkville and Kew, to honour the vital role animals have played in advancing our research.

31/10/2025

His early fascination with how living things work set the course for a remarkable career in medicine and research. That spark of curiosity has now been recognised nationally, with WEHI's Professor Peter Gibbs named one of 29 new Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences celebrating his outstanding contributions to clinical and translational research.

Growing up on a farm, Professor Peter Gibbs was captivated by the miracle of life and how the body worked from a young age.

So fascinated by biology that he once brought a sheep organ to school for show and tell. (We’re still not sure if his teacher ever recovered from that moment).

It’s these formative years that he credits for sparking the lifelong passion for medicine and science that’s seen him become a world-leading bowel cancer researcher, with over 20 years of experience in clinical research and translational medicine.

Today, Professor Gibbs is one of 29 new Fellows elected into the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, in recognition of outstanding achievements and ongoing contributions in the field of medical and health sciences.

Congratulations Prof Gibbs on this well-deserved recognition! 👏 🎉

https://www.wehi.edu.au/news/cancer-researcher-honoured-with-academy-fellowship/

24/10/2025

Travel back to the year 2000 – when flip phones ruled and the Y2K panic had just fizzled out.

This group photo captures the brilliant minds shaping WEHI’s immunology research at the turn of the millennium.

But here’s the real question: who’s rocking the socks and Birkenstocks combo? A true pioneer of comfort and cool before it went mainstream.

Between pipettes and petri dishes, these scientists were laying the groundwork for discoveries that continue to define modern immunology.

22/10/2025

WEHI-led international research has revealed that a simple blood test could pinpoint which colon cancer patients truly need chemotherapy and which can safely avoid it.

An international study led by WEHI has found a simple blood test could change how doctors decide which patients with colon cancer need chemotherapy and the patients that can be safely spared.

17/10/2025

For Dr Charlotte Slade, the longstanding partnership between WEHI and one of the country’s largest health providers, the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH), represents a collaboration like no other.

01/10/2025

We’re delighted to welcome business leader and philanthropist John Dyson as the new President of the WEHI Board. John succeeds Jane Hemstritch AO, who retires after 12 years of dedicated service, including seven as President.

A long-standing Board member, John brings deep expertise in governance, innovation and philanthropy, with a track record of turning bold ideas into real-world impact.

We thank Jane for her outstanding leadership and commitment, which has left a lasting legacy at WEHI.

WEHI is pleased to announce the appointment of business leader and philanthropist John Dyson as the next President of the WEHI Board, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for the institute.

He succeeds Jane Hemstritch AO, who will retire from the Board after 12 years of dedicated service, including seven as President. We are deeply grateful for her insightful guidance, deep commitment to medical research and personal philanthropic leadership, which have left an indelible mark on our institute.

A long-standing member of the WEHI Board, John Dyson brings deep expertise in organisational governance, business innovation and philanthropic impact.

As co-founder of Starfish Ventures and co-trustee of the Dyson Bequest, a charitable foundation supporting medical research, education and social impact causes, he has played a pivotal role in advancing Australia’s venture capital landscape and supporting transformative research initiatives.

“John understands how to turn bold, visionary ideas into real-world impact. His strategic insight and experience will be invaluable as WEHI responds to the health challenges of the future.”
- WEHI Director Professor Ken Smith

Jane Hemstritch formally retires from the Board on 1 October, following more than a decade of outstanding leadership and valued contribution to WEHI.

Read the story:
https://www.wehi.edu.au/news/john-dyson-appointed-president-of-the-wehi-board/

19/09/2025

12/09/2025

Throwback to some fresh faces in the Cellular Immunology Unit.
From left to right: David Vaux, Ken Smith (now our Director!), and Frank Koentgen.

Who would’ve guessed back then where this trio would end up?
If you remember these early days or worked with the team, we’d love to hear your stories.

05/09/2025

WEHI’s Parkinson’s Disease Research Centre are winners of the 2025 UNSW Eureka Prize for Scientific Research!

Led by Professor David Komander and Dr Sylvie Callegari, the team revealed how the protein PINK1 works, solving a decades-long mystery in early-onset Parkinson’s disease.

A team of researchers from WEHI’s Parkinson Disease Research Centre have won the 2025 UNSW Eureka Prize for Scientific Research. The team has been honoured for their research unravelling how PINK1, a key protein linked to early-onset Parkinson’s disease, works.

PINK1 was discovered over 20 years ago, but exactly how this protein attached to mitochondria, and was activated, remained a mystery until earlier this year when the WEHI team, led by Prof. David Komander and Dr Sylvie Callegari, revealed for the first time the structure of PINK1 and how it attaches to damaged mitochondria to start the recycling process.

“We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to win this award. Our discoveries of PINK1 are a testament to years of work and persistence from every member of the team,” said Dr Callegari.

Read the full story here: https://www.wehi.edu.au/news/eureka-prize-win-for-parkinsons-research-team/

📸 L–R: Professor David Komander, Dr Nicholas Kirk, Dr Sylvie Callegari and Dr Alisa Glukhova.

04/09/2025

Two of our brilliant researchers have just been elected Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science.

Professor Clare Scott AM – leading the fight against ovarian and other rare genetic cancers.
Professor David Huang – uncovering how blood cancers develop and how to stop them.

🎉 Congratulations Clare and David!