Vanesa's successful career in medical research

After achieving big success in biomedical science, VU graduate Vanesa Stojanovska is now researching better outcomes for some of our smallest babies through a prestigious National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant.

"My parents migrated from Macedonia to Australia to ensure that we had the very best opportunities in life. I am the first in my family to attend and graduate university. I chose VU because of its supportive culture, as well as its world-class research opportunities. The high-calibre staff and outstanding facilities fostered my development into a skilled and independent researcher.

"Strong written and lab-based skills are essential for a successful career in medical research. Before graduating, I had already obtained full-time employment at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research and was awarded the University Medal for Academic Excellence in Research Training.

"I am working full-time now as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and I have recently received the highly-competitive and prestigious Peter Doherty Early Career Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council. With the support of this $300,000 award, I’ll be investigating how to improve the breathing of pre-term newborns exposed to inflammation during pregnancy."

Dr Vanesa Stojanovska is a NHMRC Peter Doherty Early Career Research Fellow in the Perinatal Transition group at The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and an Adjunct Research Fellow in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University.

Want to find similar success?

Here are the courses Vanesa studied:

• Bachelor of Biomedical Science
• Doctor of Philosophy