Centenary Institute

09/10/2025

Congratulations to Professor Devanshi Seth from our Centre for Healthy Ageing, who has won the Healthcare Impact Award at the STEM Sisters 2025 Women of Colour in STEM Awards!

This honour recognises her outstanding contributions to medical research and leadership in advancing global understanding of liver diseases, particularly related to alcohol use.

For over 15 years, Professor Seth has been studying and developing tools to predict liver cirrhosis and asses alcohol use to improve treatment outcomes for patients.

Read more: https://www.centenary.org.au/news/professor-seth-recognised-with-healthcare-impact-award/

23/09/2025

🌍 This , we're spotlighting some of the brilliant minds at Centenary who are pushing boundaries in cancer science:

🧬 Dr Jess Tiffen is decoding how epigenetic modifiers drive melanoma progression and identifying new therapeutic targets to halt Australia’s 'national cancer'.

🔬 Prof Mark Gorrell is uncovering liver cancer’s link to metabolic disorders and diabetes. With liver cancer rates up 350% over the past 30 years, this research is desperately needed.

🧫 Dr Dannel Yeo (pictured with team) is innovating next-gen cancer diagnostics, for early detection of hard-to-treat cancers like mesothelioma and small cell lung cancer.

Learn more & support their mission 👉 centenary.org.au

21/09/2025

Are you passionate about science and making a difference in healthcare? Join us online this Wednesday at 1.30pm AEST.

Find out about the student projects available across a range of research areas, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and liver diseases.

🧖 Hear from researchers and current students
🦠 Learn about hands-on research opps
🔎 Explore study pathways and medical research careers

Event details:
📅 Wednesday 24 September
🕐 1.30–2.30pm AEST
💻 Online via Zoom

Register today: https://www.centenary.org.au/event/virtual-student-session/

14/09/2025

Dementia has now over taken heart disease as the leading cause of death in Australia.

At Centenary, we are proud to be developing a ground-breaking new drug for dementia, which is focused on repairing leaky blood vessels in the brain. Early research by Jennifer Gamble and team, indicates that sealing these vessels and restoring the blood–brain barrier may help clear toxic products associated with Alzheimer’s. This novel approach could one day change how we treat dementia.

Read more: https://www.centenary.org.au/news/research-grant-to-tackle-alzheimers-disease/

08/09/2025

A new study led by the Centenary Institute and the University of Sydney shows that a nasal vaccine could offer powerful protection against COVID-19. It works by stopping infection in the nose before the virus spreads through the body.

The research comes as COVID-19 continues to affect Australians’ health, with more than 150,000 cases reported so far in 2025, according to the Federal Government’s Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.

Professor Warwick Britton, senior co-author of the study, from the Centenary Institute’s Centre for Infection & Immunity, said the findings highlight the unique benefits of targeting immunity in the nose.

“Our study shows that a nasal vaccine can build strong immune defences right where the virus first enters the body, the nose, to help prevent infection,” said Professor Britton.

The researchers say that while more work is needed, the results show strong potential for nasal vaccines to complement existing COVID-19 vaccines and provide an extra layer of protection against the virus in the future.

A new study led by the Centenary Institute and the University of Sydney shows that a nasal vaccine could offer powerful protection against COVID-19. It works by stopping infection in the nose before the virus spreads through the body.

08/09/2025

Happy 28th Birthday to the Centenary Institute building!

On September 8 1997, our facilities were officially opened by the Honourable John Howard MP, Prime Minister of Australia.

Our building may have evolved but our foundations remain the same - we aim to cure diseases through our life saving research.

Throughout our years of operation, we have made many medical discoveries and breakthroughs which have led to clinical translation, including alzheimer's therapeutics and nasal SARS-Cov2 Vaccine.

View more on our breakthroughs: https://www.centenary.org.au/research/breakthroughs/

View more on our progress in clinical translation: https://www.centenary.org.au/commercialisation/

04/09/2025

Keratoconus (‘KC’) occurs when the cornea (the clear part at the very front of your eye) becomes thinner and weaker. The natural pressure in the eye then pushes the cornea outwards into a cone shape (pictured).

Worldwide, 1 in 2,000 people suffer from this disorder; with the incidence in Australia up to 24 times higher. Centenary Researcher Associate Professor Guy Lyons has found a link between this disease and exposure to UV, potentially explaining the far greater prevalence in Australia’s sunny climate.

‘We found that very low levels of UV, similar to what would be experienced from spending a few hours outdoors in sunlight, are sufficient to damage the corneal cells.’ Dr Lyons said.”

The disease is progressive and results in increasingly blurred and distorted vision. It also causes increased sensitivity to light and problems with night vision. This can make study or work impossible. KC is generally accepted to lead to an even worse quality of life, than macular degeneration.

At the moment, KC cannot be cured but a pioneering treatment known as ‘cross-linking’ surgery is able to prevent the condition becoming worse. It involves scraping away the top layer of the cornea and introducing vitamin B2 into the cornea. In the past, cornea transplant was the only option available. Unfortunately, these almost always failed, resulting in blindness.

Please help Associate Professor Lyons’ research move closer to a cure for KC: www.centenary.org.au/donate

03/09/2025

Don't forget to register for our FREE in-person event Friday 5th September: Science for Sight | Shaping the Future of Eye Health.

Join us for an illuminating event that explores three complex eye conditions—Keratoconus, Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD), and Dry Eye Syndrome. We will delve through the lens of cutting-edge research and powerful patient stories.

Associate Professor Guy Lyons and Dr Mojdeh Abbas will share their groundbreaking work. They aim to develop regenerative medicine therapies for these debilitating eye conditions, including stem cell-infused contact lenses.

Leading eye surgeon and ophthalmologist Professor Stephanie Watson will lead a panel discussion. Melissa Dever will share her journey from misdiagnosis to life-changing surgery for keratoconus. Twenty-one-year-old Kiyara Weeratunga will describe life after severe Dry Eye Syndrome left her unable to work or live independently—highlighting the urgent need for new treatments.

Stay for networking and refreshments after the discussion. This is an in-person event only. Tickets are free, but registration is essential.

Register: https://www.centenary.org.au/event/science-for-sight-shaping-the-future-of-eye-health-and-research/

28/08/2025

Congratulations to Dr Bobby Boumelhem from our Centre for Cancer Innovations who has won both the People’s Choice Award, voted by members of the public, and Staff Pick Award, voted by Centenary staff, in our 2025 When Art Meets Science image prize.

‘Thermal Tapestry‘ (pictured - image two) won People's Choice, and reveals the hidden beauty of brown fat, a special type of fat that burns energy to keep us warm.

‘Colon Kaleidoscope’ (pictured - image three) won Staff Pick and unveils the inner workings of the colon in a diabetic non-human primate, captured through the lens of confocal microscopy.

To read more about our 2025 When Art Meets Science image prize and exhibition go to: https://www.centenary.org.au/news/striking-science-images-reveal-the-beauty-of-medical-research/

27/08/2025

Last chance to vote for your favourite scientific image in our 2025 People's Choice Award.

Entries close 11.59pm Wednesday 27 August.

Vote NOW: https://www.centenary.org.au/when-art-meets-science-2025/

26/08/2025

Discover Your Future in Medical Research

Are you passionate about science, innovation, and making a difference in healthcare? Join our virtual session for University of Sydney students and future students interested in a career in medical research.

📅 24 September
🕐 1.30–2.30pm AEST
💻 Online

Explore honours, masters and PhD opportunities at The Centenary Institute across diverse projects and labs: https://www.centenary.org.au/student-opportunities/

Hear from leading melanoma researcher and Acting Deputy Director Dr Jessamy Tiffen, PhD student & Student Association head Jinx Moore, and COO Nick Pearce about what it’s like to study and train at Centenary.

You’ll learn about:

✅ Study pathways & entry requirements
✅ Hands-on research opportunities
✅ Career prospects in medical research
✅ Student support & mentorship programs

This free, interactive event is your chance to ask questions, meet mentors, and discover how you can join the next generation of scientists driving breakthroughs in medicine.

Register today: https://www.centenary.org.au/event/virtual-student-session/

21/08/2025

Join us for a FREE in-person event exploring three complex eye conditions: Keratoconus, Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD), and Dry Eye Syndrome.

Associate Professor Guy Lyons and Dr Mojdeh Abbasi will share their groundbreaking regenerative medicine research, including the development of stem cell-infused contact lenses designed to restore vision and change lives.

📅 Date: Friday, 5 September, 2025
🕞 Time: 3:30pm
📍 Location: Rydges Camperdown

They’ll be joined by Professor Stephanie Watson OAM, world-leading ophthalmologist and corneal researcher, along with Melissa Dever, sharing her journey with keratoconus, and Kiyara Weeratunga, a 21-year-old navigating life with severe Dry Eye Syndrome. Together, they’ll bring both the science and the human stories that are shaping the future of eye health.

This is an in-person event only. Tickets are free, but registration is essential.

Register: https://www.centenary.org.au/event/science-for-sight-shaping-the-future-of-eye-health-and-research/