Prof Suzanne Cory | Research Professor in the Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

Suzanne is one of Australia’s most distinguished molecular biologists, whose research has had a major impact on the understanding of immunology and the development of cancer.

She was Director of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and Professor of Medical Biology of The University of Melbourne from 1996 to 2009 and President of the Australian Academy of Science from 2010 to 2014.  She is currently a Research Professor in the Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.

Suzanne played a key role in establishing one of Victoria’s Specialist Maths and Science Centres, Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) in late 2000. In collaboration with personnel from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at The University of Melbourne, the school began a unique partnership between students, teachers and research scientists that continues to this day. GTAC seek to inform and inspire school students and teachers through experience of contemporary life science research and biotechnology. Initially based on DNA Science, a program initiated at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the USA, GTAC has over the past two decades developed a raft of programs in cell and molecular biology that attracts over 14000 students and 1500 teachers from across Victoria to the Centre each year. Suzanne remains Chair of GTAC’s Advisory Board.

Cory’s scientific achievements have attracted numerous honours and awards, including the Burnet Medal of the Australian Academy of Science ( 1997), Australia Prize (joint recipient) (1998,) Charles S. Mott Prize (joint recipient) of the General Motors Cancer Research Foundation (1998), L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Award (2001), Royal Medal of The Royal Society (2002), Rockefeller University’s Pearl Meister Greengard Prize for women in science (2009) and the Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science (2012)  She was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 1986, a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1992, a Foreign Member of the US National Academy of Sciences of the US in 1997, a Foreign Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2001, an Associate Foreign Member of the French Academy of Sciences in 2002, an Academician of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in 2004, an Associate Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization in 2007, an Honorary Member of the Japan Academy in 2013 and a Fellow of the Inaugural Class of the American Association of Cancer Research in 2013. 

In 1999 she was appointed Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia and in 2009 she was awarded the French decoration of Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Légion d’Honneur.