Promising young HRI researchers celebrate success

Congratulations to three of HRI’s up-and-coming researchers, PhD students Ivy Guan, Weizhen (Eva) Li and Alexander Lin.

Ms Guan, who is a member of the Cardiovascular-protective Signalling and Drug Discovery Unit led by Dr Xuyu (Johnny) Liu, recently attended the EFMC International Symposium on Chemical Biology with the support of a DDI ECR Travel award, and was awarded a best poster prize.

The three-day meeting was held in Basel, Switzerland from November 16 to 18 and brought together leading scientists to showcase the latest advances in the field of chemical biology.

Ms Guan presented her research on ‘A ‘natural’ electrophilic solution to calm the platelet temper’. The study revealed that sulforaphane, a natural compound found in broccoli, possesses distinctive antiplatelet properties, offering valuable insights for mitigating the excessive bleeding associated with current blood thinner treatments.

“This was my first time attending an international conference, and this poster prize gives me huge encouragement for my PhD study, particularly as I approach the culmination of my final year,” she said.

Another of Dr Liu’s PhD students, Kayla Williams, also presented her research at the conference.

Congratulations also go to Ms Li, from HRI’s Atherosclerosis and Vascular Remodelling Unit, who has been awarded a Faculty of Engineering Career Advancement Award from The University of Sydney.

According to the University’s website:

“This Award has been established to enable students who have shown strong potential to pursue jobs in prestigious academic and industrial positions the opportunity to improve their publication record while in advance of their oral examination.”

Ms Li is currently completing her PhD under the guidance of Dr Ashish Misra, with a focus on targeting the modulation of smooth muscle cell phenotype to stabilise atherosclerotic plaque. She also recently won a Rising Star award at the Sydney Cardiovascular Symposium.

“This award undoubtedly helps me prepare for the publication and oral examination for my PhD. It also provides me valuable time to participate in international conferences, enhancing my competitiveness to actively seek postdoctoral opportunities,” she said.