The Australian National University (ANU) welcomes the election of three ANU scientists as Fellows to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, for their outstanding leadership and contributions to the field in Australia.

Professor Emily Banks, Professor Ross Hannan and Professor Kiaran Kirk were officially inducted to the Academy on Thursday 19 October 2017 during the Academy's third Annual Scientific Meeting in Adelaide. 

ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt AC congratulated them on their election as Fellows to the Academy and on their outstanding research achievements.

"On behalf of the ANU community, I applaud Emily, Ross and Kiaran for their amazing work in health and medical research," Professor Schmidt said.

"Their passion for advancing medical and health science is a source of great pride for all of us at ANU."  

Professor Hannan is the inaugural Centenary Chair in Cancer Research and Head of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics at The John Curtin School of Medical Research.

He is an internationally recognised cancer scientist who has brought together multi-disciplinary teams of laboratory and clinician researchers, and developed industry collaborations, to design cancer treatments that are in clinical trials.

Professor Hannan's research focuses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms of cancer biology and translating this into new treatments for cancer sufferers.

Professor Banks, who leads Epidemiology for Policy and Practice Group at ANU and is Scientific Director of the 45 and Up Study, is an award-winning epidemiologist and public health physician.

Her research uses large-scale population data to identify potentially modifiable factors affecting individual and population health in different settings, to inform improvements in health and health care.

She is recognised nationally and internationally for her work on cancer, cardiovascular disease, medication safety and Aboriginal health, including research on breast cancer and hormone replacement therapy and the health effects of smoking.

Professor Kiaran Kirk is Dean of the ANU College of Science and his primary research interest is in the biology of the malaria parasite, with a particular focus on antimalarial drugs.

Professor Kirk's work has had significant impact in relation to the assessment of new potential antimalarial drugs, to ensure that that there is not overinvestment in compounds sharing the same molecular target.

Professor Ian Frazer, President of the Academy, congratulated the new Fellows.

"Health and medical research undertaken by the new Fellows of the Academy, and enabled by government and philanthropic funding, will help to ensure quality and equitable health care as we enter the age of precision medicine," he said.