Australasian Cell Death Society Mentorship Program 2025

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The ACDS committee is thrilled to launch the 2025 Mentorship Program for early- to midcareer

researchers (EMCRs). This pilot program is designed to pair junior members of the

Australasian cell death community with esteemed leaders in the field. By fostering

meaningful mentorship, this program aims to provide EMCRs with an invaluable opportunity

to receive tailored guidance and perspectives to cultivate their professional growth, build

confidence, and achieve their career aspirations.

Our program will include:

• Connecting one EMCR (Mentee) with an ACDS Leader (Mentor):
  • Each Mentee is required to meet with their Mentor at least twice, either face-to-face or virtually during 2025.
  • Additional meetings are encouraged to maximise the benefits of mentorship.
  • Brief talking points and topics will be provided to facilitate initial discussion.
• Professional Development (PD) Workshops:
  • All Mentees are invited to attend the four exclusive ‘Rapid Fire’ PD workshops led by selected Mentors.
  • Topics will include career progression, job application strategies, grant writing, and more.

We are extremely grateful to the following inspirational leaders in the Australasian cell death community who have generously agreed to support our junior researchers:

• Prof Peter Czabotar, WEHI (BCL-2 proteins, apoptosis, necroptosis, structural biology)
• A/Prof Helen Healy, UQ (kidney disease, inflammation, innate immunity, fibrosis)
• Dr Conor Kearney, ONJCRI (T cells, granzyme, cancer biology)
• Prof Sharad Kumar, Uni SA (autophagy, caspases, extracellular vesicles)
• Dr Larisa Labzin, UQ (macrophage, influenza, SARS-CoV-2, inflammation, pyroptosis)
• A/Prof Kate Lawlor, Hudson (apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, inflammation)
• Prof Seth Masters, Hudson (auto-inflammatory disease, inflammasomes, NLRP3)
• Prof Andrew Murphy, Baker (ferroptosis, inflammation, haematopoiesis)
• Prof James Murphy, WEHI (MLKL, necroptosis, pseudokinases)
• Dr Kim Newton, Genentech (RIPK1/3, necroptosis, inflammatory disease)
• Prof Ivan Poon, La Trobe University (apoptotic bodies, cell clearance, ecerocytosis)
• Dr Jaclyn Pearson, St Andrews (microbiology, E.coli, infection and immunity)
• Prof Kate Schroder, UQ (Pyroptosis, inflammasomes, drug development)
• Prof Tri Phan, Garvan (Intravital microscopy, macrophages, apoptosis, B cells)
• Prof Andreas Strasser, WEHI (Apoptosis, blood cancers, p53, drug development)
• Prof Stephen Tait, Uni of Glasgow (mitochondria, apoptosis, minority MOMP)
• Prof Ana Traven, Monash (Fungal infections, Candida, macrophage)
• Dr Erinna Lee, ONJCRI (Apoptosis, autophagy, inflammatory bowl disease) *newly added!
• A/Prof Doug Fairlie, ONJCRI (Autophagy, cancer cell death, BH3 mimetics) *newly added!

To ensure the success of this program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be an early- or mid-career researcher (up to 8 years post-PhD), including current PhD students.
• Be a registered member of the Australasian Cell Death Society .
• Demonstrate a commitment to career development and active participation in the field.
• Selection will be based on alignment with program goals, career stage, and availability of suitable mentors.