Ramaciotti Scientific Advisory Committee

Prof Simon Foote is a medical graduate from Melbourne University who completed a PhD at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute at MIT in genomics research. He returned to WEHI to co-lead the Genetics and Bioinformatics Division. He has been director of the Menzies Research Institute in Hobart, Dean of the School of Advanced Medicine at Macquarie University and Director of the John Curtin School of Medical Research at ANU.

Prof Foote’s research has focussed on the host response to disease, particularly infectious diseases. He is a fellow of the academies of Science, Health and Medical Science and Technological Sciences and Engineering. At present he is Chair of the AGRF board and sits on the board of the Baker Institute.

Prof Alan Cass is the Director of Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin.  Having trained as a kidney specialist at Sydney University, Prof Cass has pursued a research career with a focus on the prevention and management of chronic disease; addressing the social and systems determinants of health; and improving access to essential health care for people living with kidney and related chronic diseases.

Prof Cass is Chair of the NT Clinical Senate and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

Prof Adele Green is an Emeritus Fellow at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and previously Deputy Director of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research.

Prof Green’s research focus was cancer epidemiology, and in particular, skin cancer and melanoma causation, prevention, management, and prognosis.  She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2015), the Australian Academy of Science (2020), and Life Member (2013) and Fellow (2023) of the Australian Epidemiological Association.  

Prof Tom Kay is Director of St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research in Fitzroy and an Honorary Professorial Fellow at The University of Melbourne. He trained in endocrinology and clinical immunology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. After a post-doctoral fellowship in the Thyroid Unit at the Massachusetts General Hospital he returned to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute until 2002.

Prof Kay’s research is focused on the pathogenesis and immunotherapy of type 1 diabetes including clinical islet transplantation, and mechanism-based treatments early in the course of diabetes. Professor Kay is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, a Director of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes, President of the International Pancreas and Islet Transplant Association and the Past President of The Immunology of Diabetes Society.  

Prof Sarah Robertson is an NHMRC Investigator Fellow and previous Director of the Robinson Research Institute at The University of Adelaide (2013-2021).  She is a graduate of the University of Adelaide (BSc 1983; PhD 1993) and has undertaken visiting fellowships at The University of Alberta (Canada) and The University of Gothenburg (Sweden).

Prof Robertson’s research focus is immune system regulation of reproduction, fertility and pregnancy. She strives to advance understanding of the fundamental biology of conception, embryo implantation, and early development, and works with clinical and industry partners to develop new approaches for managing infertility and pregnancy disorders. She partnered with Origio A/S to develop EmbryoGen, a novel immune-based intervention for repeated IVF failure and recurrent miscarriage now sold in >50 countries worldwide.

Prof Robertson is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (2016), the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2015), a Fellow of the Society for Reproductive Biology (2011), and a Distinguished Fellow of the US Society for the Study of Reproduction (2021). In 2024 she was awarded Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to medical research.  

Professor Clara Chow is Academic Director of the Westmead Applied Research Centre (WARC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney. She is a cardiologist and Clinical Lead of Community Based Cardiac Services at Westmead hospital and is also a member of the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) Governing Board, Sydney, Australia. 

Professor Chow is Director of the Australian Stroke and Heart Accelerator (ASHRA) and was honoured with a Telstra Brilliant Woman in Digital Health Award in 2022. In 2023 she became an Honour of Australia recipient as well as a Fellow of the AAHMS. She holds an honorary appointment as the Charles Perkins Centre Westmead Academic Co-director and is past-President of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Professor Chow’s research focuses on the prevention of cardiovascular disease, innovation in the delivery of cardiovascular care and the evaluation of digital health interventions. She has expertise in the design, delivery and implementation of clinical trials. Her PhD from the University of Sydney, Australia was in cardiovascular epidemiology and international public Health and her Postdoc from McMaster University, Canada in clinical trials and cardiac imaging. She has over 250 publications including papers in internationally leading medical journals NEJM, JAMA and Lancet. She is supported by a NHMRC Investigator grant.