James Whisstock scoops two prestigious awards

In two eventful months, Professor James Whisstock received an ARC Federation Fellowship together with the Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research.

Professor Whisstock’s accolades build on a distinguished 11-year research career at Monash University, with highlights including the 2007 NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship and 2006 Science Minister’s Prize for Life Scientist of the Year. With the Federation Fellowship, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology researcher will receive a $3 million ARC grant over five years. Only 14 scientists received the coveted award this year.

“I am incredibly honoured to receive fellowship,” says Professor Whisstock. “It allows me to go in a direction that I previously didn’t have the capacity to take on.”

In Professor Whisstock’s case, this means working on the family of perforin-like proteins, which kill bacteria, virally infected cells and cancer cells. These molecules also play important roles in developmental and neural biology.

Professor Whisstock and his team will investigate how perforin-like proteins insert into membranes and form pores, and assess the diversity of function of these molecules in nerve growth and embryonic development. His team will use the Australian Synchrotron and collaborate with Professor Joe Trapani from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre; Dr  Michelle Dunstone, Dr Coral Warr and Associate Professors Phil Bird and Wayne Hodgson from Monash University School of Biomedical Sciences.

Professor Whisstock also received the Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research at the Australian Society for Medical Research dinner, one of the highlights of Medical Research Week in June. This prize is granted to an internationally renowned scientist who has completed their PhD within the last 12 years, has an outstanding record of accomplishment in medical research, is an inspiring role model and mentor, and skilled health communicator.

“I’m delighted to receive this award,” says Professor Whisstock.

“I have a great team, who work hard and make amazing contributions. So it’s an honour for me and my team to be recognised in this way.”