With her expertise in both Melanoma and Huntington’s Disease, Mel established and led the Melanoma Research Group at ECU. She also worked as Associate Dean of Research in the School of Biomedical and Health Sciences. While teaching and coordinating four undergraduate units a year with hundreds of students, as well as supervising several postgraduate students to completion, she built a strong, innovative research team that now leads research in WA on the development of melanoma blood tests. These tests are set to revolutionise the way melanoma is diagnosed and treated and will dramatically improve patient outcomes.
Mel has mentored her team of researchers and clinical fellows (80% female) and has been principal supervisor of 39 PhDs, MScs and BSc Honours students, of which 24 (61%) are female. She has fostered their careers, with several acquiring postdoctoral positions in prestigious laboratories. She regularly promotes science to the community, giving talks and demonstrations to adults and school students and businesses. She reviews grants for the National Health and Medical Research Foundation in Australia and for similar international funding agencies.
