After two years as Chair of the foundation’s Scientific and Medical Advisory Panel (SMAP), Professor Carolyn Sue’s term has concluded. We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Aleksandra Filipovska as the new SMAP Chair, and Professor Mike Ryan as the new SMAP Deputy Chair.
Both have served on the SMAP for the past nine years and have made an invaluable contribution towards our vision to be the catalyst for energy, hope and cures for every Australian impacted by mitochondrial disease (mito).
The foundation would like to acknowledge the meaningful contribution that Carolyn made in her role as SMAP Chair and in supporting the mito community. Carolyn was one of the founding directors of Mito Foundation and has demonstrated passion and commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for mito community members. We are grateful for her involvement in and leadership of the SMAP.
The SMAP remains actively involved in assessing the merits of applications for Mito Foundation grants and being a point of reference for medical and research questions from the mito community, the media, politicians and other interested parties.
We welcome both Aleksandra and Mike to their new roles in the SMAP and look forward to exciting new opportunities ahead.
Professor Aleksandra Filipovska - Chair
Western Australia
Aleksandra is a Deputy Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, a NHMRC Senior Research Fellow and Professor at University of Western Australia and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. She also has a second Mitochondrial Disease Therapy group at Telethon Kids Institute established in 2019.
Her research group uses genomic technologies and synthetic biology to design new models of mitochondrial diseases and develop treatments for these disorders.
Professor Mike Ryan - Deputy Chair
Victoria
Mike is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Monash University and heads a research laboratory on mitochondrial biogenesis and disease in the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute.
He received the Roche Medal for research excellence from the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He was later president of the Society (2014-2016). He is also a founder of AussieMit, a gathering for Australian mitochondrial disease researchers.