University of Queensland BSc/BMus, PGDipSc
University of NSW PhD
Known for
Research to develop cell and gene therapies and identify therapeutic targets for Friedreich ataxia
Medical career
Profession
Molecular Biologist
Institutions
Murdoch Children's Research Institute &
Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne
Research
Gene therapy and neurodegenerative diseases.
Marguerite Virginia Evans-GaleaAM is the co-founder of Women in STEMM Australia. STEMM (science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine). Her research is focused on gene therapy and neurodegenerative diseases.
Early life and education
Evans-Galea grew up in Mackay, Queensland. She was raised by her mother after her parents separated.[1]: 2:20 mins In High School she learned clarinet and discovered classical music. After school she planned to be a music therapist, but she was "bitten by the science bug" in her third year of university.[1]: 3:50 mins
In 1994 she graduated with a double degree from the University of Queensland BSc/BMus. This was followed by a PGDipSc (Postgraduate Diploma in Science) in 1995 also from the University of Queensland and a PhD from the University of New South Wales in 1999.[2] Her doctoral thesis in molecular biology was titled Characterisation of the response to lipid hydroperoxide stress of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.[3]
On her return to Australia in 2008 Evans-Galea joined a clinical team at the Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI)[5] that allowed her to connect her research on yeasts with medical research. She develops cell and gene therapies for Friedreich's ataxia a neurodegenerative disease which affects children from around 10 years of age.[6]
Marguerite Evans-Galea leads "Next Generation Technologies" panel at CeBIT
She was an Honorary research scientist at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in 2008[6] and Honorary Fellow, Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne since 2009.[2][7]
She served on the Immune Responses Committee of the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy and is a past member of the executive committee of the Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society.[6]
Evans-Galea helps early researchers and she is a leading advocate of gender equality.[9] She developed graduate mentoring programs in the USA.[10] and was the founding chair of the Early-Mid Career Researcher (EMCR) Forum with the Australian Academy of Science from 2011 to 2013.[11] She is a committee member of the Expert Advisory Group of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Forum.[12]
She is Executive Director of the Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (IMNIS) at the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.[10] IMNIS connects motivated PhD students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics with high level industry mentors for a one-year industry mentoring program.[13] In October 2018 about 300 PhD mentees were involved in the MTP (medical technologies, biotechnology and pharmaceutical) program in five states and 17 organisations.[14]
Evans-Galea is Program Coordinator for the IMNIS Energy-Minerals Programs and the CCRM Australia-IMNIS International Mentoring Pilot internationally. She is co-founder of Women in STEMM Australia.[10]
Evans-Galea was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of her service to women in STEMM.[15]
Awards and honours
2006 — Travel Award, American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, USA[6]
2009 — New Investigator Award, Friedreich Ataxia Research Alliance, USA[16]
2009 — Panos Ioannou Young Investigator Award, Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society[5]
^Evans-Galea, M. E. (1998). Characterisation of the response to lipid hydroperoxide stress of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PhD thesis. University of NSW.
