First Alex Gadomski PhD Scholarship recipient announced

Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision and the Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania are thrilled to announce that Ariel Simpson is the successful recipient of the inaugural Alex Gadomski Postgraduate Scholarship in Medical Research. 

Ariel is a University of Tasmania Bachelor of Medical Research graduate, and has recently completed an Honours year. She brings to the Scholarship not only an outstanding academic record, but an engaged, driven and compassionate disposition.

Ariel Simpson, recipient of the inaugural Alex Gadomski Postgraduate Scholarship in Medical Research.

“I’m excited to start my PhD in 2021 and understand the processes that drive Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes. I feel privileged to have this opportunity to work closely with the Menzies Institute for Medical Research and Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision in this field of critical research.”

Ariel will join the committed and dynamic team of experts at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research investigating novel gene regulatory pathways in Bone Marrow Failure. 

Led by Professor Alex Hewitt, and supervised by Dr Kirsten Fairfax, the team is making significant progress in uncovering new genes that are important in the formation of different blood cell types, providing novel genomic insights into haematopoiesis (blood formation). 

The team has accrued one of the world’s largest repositories of bone marrow samples from healthy people, and are now using cutting-edge technologies to examine the samples at the level of the single cell.

Ariel’s addition to the team will provide capacity to increase their efforts, and assist with the Maddie’s Vision mission of finding new treatments and ultimately cures for both acquired and inherited Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.

The Alex Gadomski Postgraduate Scholarship in Medical Research is co-funded by Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision and the University of Tasmania’s College of Health and Medicine, with fundraising from the Live Life Gala Ball and the Bloody Long Run. 

The position is named in honour of Alex Gadomski, who tragically lost his life at the age of 21 from Bone Marrow Failure. Alex’s family have mobilised an incredible Tasmanian community, raising generous funds, and ensuring his legacy is harnessed to support innovative medical research towards finding a cure.