Ruth Stephens Gani Medal

The Ruth Stephens Gani Medal is awarded annually by the Australian Academy of Science to recognise research in human genetics.[1]

The award honours the contributions by Ruth Stephens Gani to human cytogenetics.[1]

It is an early career award normally for Australian resident nominees up to ten years work post doctorate.[1]

Below are a list of recipients from 2008-2018 in the field:

Recipients

Source: Australian Academy of Science

YearRecipientCitation extractRef
2019Justin WongMade the significant discovery that the natural accurate positioning of gene spacers is important to control how genes are turned on or off. He has also discovered that a ‘punctuation mark’ called DNA methylation can instruct the accurate usage of spacer sequences. The work by Dr Wong uncovers a novel way to control gene expression with vast therapeutic potential for cancers and other genetic diseases.
2018Irina VoineaguSignificant contributions to the genetics of neurodevelopmental disorders, including work on molecular mechanisms of DNA instability, autism genomics and transcriptomics; elucidated the role of DNA repeat expansions in neurodevelopmental disorders as well as identified a novel syndrome of intellectual disability caused by mutations in the CCDC22 gene; identified networks of genes that showed altered expression in autistic brain tissue in the first landmark large-scale transcriptome study of autistic brain.[2][3]
2017Sarah MedlandNeuroimaging genetics, Child & Adolescent Psychopathology and Women’s health; a leading role and was instrumental in the formation of the ENIGMA brain imaging genetics consortium, which is currently the largest brain imaging study in the world; significantly advanced the understanding of the ways that genetics influences the structure and function of the human brain.[4][5]
2016Geoffrey John FaulknerLeading researcher in the field of genomics, where computers can be combined with high-throughput machines to analyse the DNA found in individual human cells; he and his team have discovered unusual genetic changes in neurons associated with the activity of mobile DNA, a type of ‘jumping gene’; his work has major implications for healthy brain function, and may provide opportunities to better understand mental health and neurodegenerative conditions.[6][7]
2015Jian YangDeveloped novel statistical analysis methods to show that individual differences between people for many characteristics are due to the cumulative effect of many genes; solved the problem that genes identified from recent large-scale genetic studies explained only a small part of the genetic basis of characteristics such as height or susceptibility to disease; distributed his software tools widely and many researchers now apply his statistical genetic methods to their data.[8][9]
2014Ryan ListerDevelopment of key techniques to map the epigenome has made possible major advances in our understanding of its role in gene regulation in both plants and animals.[10][11]
2013Aleksandra FilipovskaSignificant contributions to the field of human mitochondrial gene expression; developed new technologies to investigate mitochondrial nucleic acids and the roles of proteins that regulate the expression of genes encoded on the mitochondrial DNA; discovered several mitochondrial proteins important for energy production and consequently cell health; developed new tools to modulate mitochondrial gene expression and potential therapeutics for the treatment of mitochondrial genome mutation disease.[12][13]
2012Manuel FerreiraEstablished the Australian Asthma Genetics Consortium, which recently carried out the largest asthma genetics study in Australia; identified a gene – the interleukin-6 receptor – that has a more active version and a less active version the finding suggests that a drug that reduces the activity of this gene – currently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis – may be effective in asthma.[14][15]
2011Alicia OshlackMajor advances in understanding human evolution and the biology of human genomes by comparing changes in gene expression levels between humans and apes; developed methodology specifically for gene expression analysis that can be applied to many aspects of human biology and medical genetics; pioneering analysis of new DNA sequencing technology for studying gene expression.[16][17]
2010Stuart MacgregorDeveloped new methods and tools to analyse a wide range of diseases, ranging from schizophrenia to cancer and glaucoma; known for his work in relation to gene mapping, having developed ways to analyse pooled DNA for large-scale genetic association studies, that has led to the discovery of a new genetic risk variant in melanoma.[18]
2009Marnie BlewittMajor advances in our understanding of epigenetics – how we silence or activate particular regions of DNA to orchestrate normal development and prevent disease; identified new epigenetic mechanisms that influence how geneticists interpret the inheritance of phenotypic traits; identified a new gene that regulates X-inactivation, the process by which expression of genes on the X-chromosome is equalised between male and female mammals, including humans.[19][20]
2008Vanessa HayesIdentifying genetic risk factors for cervical and colorectal cancer; demonstrated the importance of genetic polymorphisms in progression of HIV disease in the African population; providing a major stimulus to the effective use of human genetics in prevention and treatment of this disorder; identified genetic markers associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer and the prediction of prostate cancer outcome.[21][22]

See also

References
  1. "Ruth Stephens Gani Medal". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  2. "2018 awardees". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  3. Smith, Deborah (17 November 2017). "Academy Awards for four UNSW scientists". University of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  4. "2017 awardees". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  5. "Research news in brief - Australian Academy of Science awards annual honorifics". Doctor Portal - MJA InSight. Medical Journal of Australia. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  6. "2016 awardees". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  7. "Brain genetics researcher earns top science award". University of Queensland. 23 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  8. "2015 awardees". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  9. "The Prime Minister's Prizes for Science - Jian Yang — Unravelling the complexity of height, intelligence, obesity and schizophrenia". Australian Government. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  10. "2014 awardees - Career awards". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  11. "2014 Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year". Science in Public. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  12. "2013 awardees - Career awards". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  13. Dean, Tim (16 January 2013). "Life scientists recognised in Australian Academy of Science awards". Lab+Life Scientist. Westwick-Farrow. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  14. "2012 awardees - Career awards". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  15. Dean, Tim (6 December 2011). "Academy Awards (for science) announced". Lab+Life Scientist. Westwick-Farrow. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  16. "2011 awardees - Career awards". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  17. "2011 awards for scientific excellence announced". Lab+Life Scientist. Westwick-Farrow. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  18. "2010 awardees - Career awards". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  19. "2009 awardees - Career awards". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  20. "Academy awards for scientific excellence". Lab+Life Scientist. Westwick-Farrow. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  21. "2008 awardees - Career awards". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  22. "NSW scientists shine at Academy Awards". Lab+Life Scientist. Westwick-Farrow. 21 January 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
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