Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) Professors Enzo Porrello and Susan Sawyer have been elected as fellows to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS). 

Professor Porrello and Professor Sawyer were among 29 health and science leaders to join the academy’s fellowship, which recognises the brightest minds in health and medical sciences.

Professor Porrello is the Director of MCRI’s Stem Cell Medicine Theme, founding Co-Director of the Melbourne Centre for Cardiovascular Genomics and Regenerative Medicine (CardioRegen), Node Director of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) and Head of MCRI’s Heart Regeneration Group.

Image: Professor Enzo Porrello

Professor Porrello has pioneered heart regeneration research by uncovering a previously unappreciated regenerative potential of the newborn mammalian heart and using stem cells to create beating human heart muscle for disease modelling and drug discovery.

“It is an incredible privilege to be a scientist and an honour to be elected as a fellow of the academy. I am incredibly grateful for this recognition which would not have been possible without the support of my lab members, collaborators and mentors over the years.”

Image: Professor Susan Sawyer

Professor Sawyer, a paediatrician, is MCRI’s Adolescent Health Group Leader and Director of the Centre for Adolescent Health, a World Health Organization collaborating centre for adolescent health She also holds the Geoff and Helen Handbury chair of Adolescent Health at The University of Melbourne. 

Her research and advocacy have helped develop the field of adolescent health in Australia and on a global scale. Susan was instrumental in establishing the Royal Australasian College of Physician's Committee on adolescent health and was its inaugural chairman from 2002-2007. Her impact led to the accreditation of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine as a specialist field of medical practice in Australia. 

“To be elected by one’s peers is a great honour, and I am particularly pleased for the recognition this gives not just to me, but to the field of adolescent health and medicine.”