Dr Heather Murray’s ultimate goal is to realise individualised medicine for blood cancer (Acute myeloid leukaemia, AML), which is a leading cause of cancer mortality in NSW.
To achieve this goal, Heather is working with a collaborative team of researchers and clinicians to develop methods to identify the optimal therapy for each individual patient.
By combining genetic profiling with rapid identification of cellular protein targets and ex vivo drug screening (out-of-body testing of the patient’s cancer cells), our precision medicine platform aims to predict treatment response and provide personalised, effective treatment options for this poor prognosis cancer.
Dr Murray has attracted more than $1.8M in competitive project and equipment grants including the highly competitive Cancer Institute NSW Early Career Researcher Fellowship (2022-2024).
She has published in several prestigious publications and her work in AML has led to national and international clinical trials and a patent application, demonstrating her ability to work with clinical partners and translate research findings.
She has received more than 10 research awards, including the Australasian Proteomics Society Ken Mitchelhill Young Investigator award 2024, and has presented at over 20 national and international conferences.
Her leadership is further evidenced by her roles in scientific committees and mentorship of students including Chair of the Hunter Cancer Research Alliance Scientific Committee (2020), Chair of the Early Career Researcher Association (2024), and the face of the Cure Cancer 2023 Barbecure campaign.
