Susan Alberti AC supporting women in science and medical research

There is no doubt that Susan Alberti AC is a powerhouse when she puts her mind to something. Susan is the type of woman who rolls her sleeves up and gets things done. There’s no better example of her tenacity, generosity and unflagging work ethic than the creation and management of the Susan Alberti Medical Research Foundation (SAMRF).

Supported by an enthusiastic band of volunteers, SAMRF raises funds to support medical research at WEHI and St Vincent’s Institute through a series of fundraising events. The annual SAMRF Mother’s Day lunch brings together like-minded guests who enjoy a luncheon, while hearing from inspirational speakers and raising much needed funds for research.

In 2024, guests heard from WEHI Clinical Research Fellow Dr Shehara Mendis, who was the successful recipient of the Susan Alberti AC & Colin James North OAM Fellowship. Empowering and supporting female researchers is very close to Susan’s heart.

Over the past decade, SAMRF has donated almost $400,000 towards WEHI’s research into some of the most devastating diseases threatening the lives of millions of people around the world such as:

• The co-design (with the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Centre in the US) of a blood test that uses circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) to precisely identify stage 2 colon cancer patients who need chemotherapy after surgery. The blood test has the potential to revolutionise how chemotherapy is used for colon cancer patients and accelerate the development of promising new treatment options.
• The 2023 launch of an international clinical trial, based on a WEHI-led discovery, which is exploring a new way to treat rare and aggressive gynaecological cancers.
• The identification of a molecule which can mimic the effects of insulin and could lead to the future development of an oral insulin pill.

Thanks to the foresight of philanthropists like Susan Alberti AC and the key partnership between SAMRF and WEHI, more medical breakthroughs and discoveries will be possible, leading to healthier, longer lives for us all.

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Header image: Professor Susan Alberti AC & Dr Shehara Mendis (WEHI Clinical Research Fellow Personalised Oncology)