Australasian Cell Death Society Mentorship Program 2026

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The ACDS Rapid Fire Professional Development Workshops are a series of four short

sessions developed for participants of the ACDS Mentorship Program. Each 30-minute

workshop, held via zoom, features a 15-minute ‘rapid fire’ presentation from an experienced

leader in the cell death community, followed by 15 minutes of open discussion.

The sessions aim to provide practical career insights in a small, informal, and interactive

environment. Mentees are encouraged to actively participate, ask questions, and engage in

discussion with the invited speakers. Through these conversations, mentees will gain

valuable perspectives on navigating research careers and learn from both the successes

and challenges experienced by leaders in the field.

As these workshops are part of the ACDS Mentorship Program, attendance and active

participation from mentees is expected. For example, we strongly encourage mentees to

turn on their cameras on and ask questions during discussion time to maximise benefit.

Workshop 1: Leading a collaboration– Dr Kha Phan, La Trobe Uni

Date: Wednesday April 8th, 2026

Time: 2:00-2:30pm AEST (Melbourne time)

Brief: Effective collaborations are essential for successful research but can be challenging

to initiate and maintain. In this session, Dr Kha Phan will share practical insights on how to

initiate, structure, and sustain productive research collaborations. Discussion points may

include setting expectations early, defining roles and responsibilities, managing timelines,

navigating intellectual ownership, and maintaining momentum across institutions and

disciplines

Workshop 2: Managing Career Setbacks– Dr Jaclyn Pearson, Uni of St Andrews

Date: Wednesday May 13th, 2026

Time: 4:00–4:30 pm AEST (Melbourne time) [7:00–7:30 am UK time]

Brief: Academic careers inevitably involve setbacks. In this session, Dr. Jaclyn Pearson will

discuss strategies for navigating common challenges such as paper rejections, grant

failures, stalled projects, contract uncertainty, relocation, and parental leave. The

discussion will focus on resilience, reframing setbacks, making strategic adjustments, and

maintaining momentum over time.

Workshop 3: Finding funding opportunities– Prof Misty Jenkin, WEHI

Date: Wednesday August 12th, 2026

Time: 2:00-2:30pm AEST

Brief: Securing research funding is a critical skill for building an independent research

career. In this session, Prof. Misty Jenkins will share insights into developing competitive

grant applications and strategic approaches to funding. Topics may include applying for

traditional funding (e.g. NHMRC and ARC), exploring philanthropic funding opportunities,

framing strong research proposals, common pitfalls in grant writing, and lessons learned

from both successful and unsuccessful applications.

Workshop 4: Getting/Preparing for an Academic Research Position– Dr Najoua Lalaoui,

PeterMac

Date: Wednesday September 9th, 2026

Time: 2:00-2:30pm AEST

Brief: Transitioning into an academic research position requires careful preparation and

strategic positioning. In this session, Dr Najoua Lalaoui will share insights into what

institutions look for when recruiting academic researchers. Topics may include preparing a

competitive CV, interpreting selection criteria, positioning yourself strategically at different

career stages, and drawing on personal experiences from both successful and

unsuccessful applications.