Featured Early Career Researchers

Dr Mark Hutchinson, NHMRC CJ Martin Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Dr Mark Hutchinson completed a BSc majoring in Pharmacology, Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Adelaide (1998). He continued his studies in Pharmacology with  honours (1999) & PhD (2004) examining opioid metabolism & opioid immunodulation, respectively. In 2004 he was awarded the FreshScience prize for communication of science in the media.  He moved to Boulder, Colorado in 2005 to undertake Postdoctoral training in the world leading research group of Prof Linda Watkins in the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Here he pioneered with Prof Watkins the research which has lead to the discovery of novel drugs activity at innate immune receptors. Moreover, his research has lead to the implication of the brain immune cells in the action of drugs of dependence and the negative side effects of pain killers. Dr Hutchinson was awarded an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship in 2007. He returned to Adelaide in 2009 to continue his research in the Discipline of Pharmacology, University of Adelaide. He has numerous peer reviewed publications, review papers and book chapters, several patents and is frequently asked to speak at national and international conferences and symposia. He was recently awarded the Denis Wade Early Career Researcher Award (2009) and is a SA Tall Poppy Finalist (2010).

Dr Janet Coller, FTT Fricker Research Fellow

Dr Janet Coller has an established track record in Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomic medical research within the health areas of cancer, drug dependence, cardiology and solid-organ transplantation. Dr Coller was awarded an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellowship in 2000 to undertake Postdoctoral training in the world leading pharmacogenomics research group of Prof Michel Eichelbaum at the Dr Margarete-Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology. Here she conducted work to identify how genetic variability impacts on the therapeutic use of tamoxifen for breast cancer. In 2002 Dr Coller returned to the Discipline of Pharmacology, University of Adelaide to commence studies identifying important genetic variants that determine successful treatment of opioid dependence with methadone. More recently she has expanded her research to the emerging field of immunogenetics that has implications for therapeutics in the fields of cancer, epilepsy, organ transplantation, neurodegeneration and addiction. She has been recognized as an emerging investigator by her peers, receiving the New Investigator Awards of both major pharmacology / pharmaceuctical science societies in Australasia. More recently she received a 2007-08 Young Tall Poppy Science Award. She is the current co-chair of the ASCEPT Pharmacogenomics Special Interest Group that facilitates active collaboration between the leading pharmacogenomic researchers and raises the profile of pharmacogenomics in Australasia. Since 2000 she has obtained funds totaling $1.28 million from nationally competitive bodies and has also conducted specialized contract research for pharmaceutical companies. Dr Coller has international active research collaborations with colleagues in New Zealand, USA, and Germany in addition to extensive local collaborations. She consistently publishes in the top ranking clinical pharmacology and pharmacogenomics journals, and is a current editorial board member of the Open Drug Metabolism Journal. She has also filed 2 provisional patents related to her exciting new immunogenetics and addiction research with the potential of future commercial development.

Dr Renee Turner