Helen Irving is a Professor in Biomedical Sciences and leads a theme in the Holsworth Biomedical Research Centre and is member of the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences (LIMS). Helen's current research focusses on understanding moonlighting ligand-gated ion channels, cryptic enzymes and inflammatory signals at the molecular level to develop new and improved approaches to managing inflammatory conditions.

Isabella Simon is a highly motivated 2nd year PhD Candidate who has an immense passion for liver disease research following her own lived-experience. Following her diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis in 2015 at age 16, and subsequent liver transplant in 2019 at 20 years of age, Isabella pursued a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts, where she was awarded First-Class Honours in Pharmacology and commenced her PhD in 2023 at Monash University. Her PhD investigates novel therapeutic avenues for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

Dr Iris Lim's research spans urogenital pharmacology and physiology, focusing on the urethra and ureter. She also investigates innovative educational approaches, particularly the use of educational escape rooms to enhance student engagement.

Associate Professor Liu is a pharmacologist whose research centres on the causes and treatment of gastrointestinal and urinary bladder diseases. She brings over 20 years of experience investigating conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, constipation, diverticular disease, bladder urothelium function, overactive bladder, and urinary tract infections. She earned her PhD in Pharmacology from Monash University in 1998, receiving the prestigious Mollie Holman Medal. She subsequently held NHMRC-funded research positions at UNSW, where she garnered both national and international recognition through multiple awards. Since 2006, she has served as an academic in the School of Biomedical Sciences at UNSW, integrating her research with teaching responsibilities. As Chief or Sole Investigator, A/Prof Liu has secured over $3 million in competitive and collaborative research funding, including four NHMRC project grants. Her work has led to extensive national and international collaborations and has produced numerous publications on gastrointestinal and bladder physiology and disease.

Dr. Santosh Rama Bhadra Rao Tata is a biomedical researcher specializing in serotonin receptor neurobiology, particularly the 5-HT₃ receptor. He earned his PhD from La Trobe University’s Rural Health School in Bendigo, Australia, in 2023. His doctoral research combined in-silico modeling and experimental techniques to explore 5-HT₃ receptor expression and function, with implications for gastrointestinal and psychiatric disorders. Dr. Tata has co-authored several publications, including studies on mitochondrial localization of 5-HT₃ receptors and receptor subunit interactions. He currently collaborates with Prof. Helen Irving on cancer immunology projects and teaches microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology as a casual academic at La Trobe University.

Kellie Charles is a passionate educator and education researcher from the Pharmacology Discipline in the Sydney Pharmacy School at the University of Sydney. She is a Senior Fellow of the Academy of Higher Education in the UK and previous recipient of the ASCEPT Outstanding Teaching Excellence Award. Her recent Churchill Fellowship explored the educator's experience with adapting and integrating AI into teaching practices and assessment. Her ongoing research is about how higher education changes with disruptive paradigms.

Kellie Charles is a passionate educator and education researcher from the Pharmacology Discipline in the Sydney Pharmacy School at the University of Sydney. She is a Senior Fellow of the Academy of Higher Education in the UK and previous recipient of the ASCEPT Outstanding Teaching Excellence Award. Her recent Churchill Fellowship explored the educator's experience with adapting and integrating AI into teaching practices and assessment. Her ongoing research is about how higher education changes with disruptive paradigms.

Paul Chin is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago, Christchurch and Senior Medical Officer at Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand – Waitaha Canterbury. Research interests include therapeutic drug monitoring (including anticoagulants and antimicrobials), quality use of medicines, electronic prescribing, and clinical decision support.

Sheila joined ASCEPT in 1978 after taking up a lectureship in Auckland. She has presented at many scientific meetings of ASCEPT in NZ and Australia (and organised a few). Sheila is presently a Life Member of ASCEPT. Sheila was awarded a DSc for her research in experimental pharmacology in 1997. Sheila has received both the IUPHAR Education Section Teaching Excellence award and the ASCEPT Teaching Excellence award. In retirement, Sheila has an Adjunct position at Griffith University. She continues with scholarly writing (mostly opinions on recent clinical trials) and the education research.

Dr Rachael Farrington is a pharmacologist with research expertise in complementary and alternative medicines, with a particular focus on the quality and safety of commercialized herbal products. Her work examines the purity and consistency of these preparations, as well as their potential interactions with conventional pharmaceuticals and other herbal medicines, ensuring evidence-based understanding and safer use in clinical practice. Alongside her research, Dr Farrington is deeply committed to enhancing the student learning experience in pharmacology. She is passionate about creating engaging, active learning environments that foster curiosity, critical thinking, and applied knowledge. Drawing on innovative technologies and interactive teaching methods, she integrates digital resources, scenario-based learning, and problem-solving approaches to support student engagement and success.

Lynette was part of a nation-wide team that secured funding from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) for a project entitled “Ensuring quality graduates of Pharmacology”. She has developed a program in responsible conduct in learning and research that is now embedded within Pharmacology and Medical Research Honours curricula. Lynette led the development and implementation of the multi-disciplinary ethics unit, Social Responsibility in Action SCIE2100 and a Minor in Applied Ethics. Lynette developed the ASCEPT Mentoring Program and has received the ASCEPT Teaching Excellence Award. She is an active member of the ASCEPT Education Forum, having previously served as Chair. Lynette collaborated with ASCEPT colleagues to define the core concepts in Pharmacology. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Lynette is an active member of the IUPHAR-Education Section, where she is a Councillor, core concepts of pharmacology expert group member, and Online Meetings Steering Group Member-at-Large.

Dr Jufar is a postdoctoral researcher in the Translational and Cardiovascular Research at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. He completed his PhD in Physiology at Monash University in 2024, where his work focused on the pathophysiology of cardiac surgery–associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) and brain injury, as well as potential therapeutic approaches to reverse injury in these vital organs. His current research investigates the safety and efficacy of sodium ascorbate as a novel therapy to mitigate cardiac surgery–associated acute brain injury and acute kidney injury. Dr Jufar has published more than 16 papers in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.

Prof Markus Schlaich is a renal physician and a European Society of Hypertension (ESH) accredited hypertension specialist. Markus is Chair of Hypertension Australia and Co-Chair of the National Hypertension Taskforce. He has a strong background in clinical research with a focus on the pathophysiology of hypertension, the role of the sympathetic nervous system, involvement of the kidneys, and hypertension mediated organ damage. He has a specific interest in treatment modalities targeting the sympathetic nervous system and has been a pioneer of renal denervation and other interventional and pharmacological approaches to treat hypertension. He has authored more than 500 articles in peer reviewed journals and serves on the Editorial Board of Hypertension, Journal of Hypertension, and Hypertension Research.

Dr Wang is a Research Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health and an Accredited Practising Dietitian. She holds Conjoint Senior Lecturer and Adjunct Senior Lecturer positions at UNSW and the University of Sydney. Her PhD investigated plant-based diets and cardiovascular health, and her research has since broadened to scalable, multidisciplinary interventions combining nutrition and blood pressure–lowering therapies. Her current work focuses on reducing blood pressure variability through novel approaches, including single-pill combination therapies and potassium-enriched salt. She has published in leading journals such as the European Heart Journal and was recently named a Prize Finalist at the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand 2025. At this conference, Dr Wang will present findings on the effect of a novel triple-pill combination compared with dual therapies on blood pressure variability.

Dr. Audrey Adji is a research scientist at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and a research fellow at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. Her work explores pulsatile function in cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, including mechanical circulatory support devices in heart failure. She has authored >80 peer-reviewed publications, presented at international conferences, and fostered collaborative research networks. Dr. Adji has received multiple scientific awards and serves on editorial boards of hypertension journals. She mentors postdoctoral fellows and supervises higher degree students across medicine and engineering. As Chair of the Women in Hypertension (Research) Committee at Hypertension Australia and the Early Career Research Network of Pulse of Asia, she advocates for equity and emerging researchers. She is a member of the Hypertension Australia Taskforce and a Fellow of both the International Society of Hypertension and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. Dr. Adji actively cultivates national and global research partnerships.

Dr. Munenori Kusunoki is a dual-trained anaesthesiologist and intensive care physician. He earned his medical degree in 2010 and completed a PhD at Kansai Medical University in 2020, studying the effects of hypoxia on organ injury and metabolism, and the impact of anaesthetics on insulin secretion. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Kansai Medical University Hospital, teaching medical students and fellows, and providing anaesthesia and intensive care for approximately 2,500 patients annually. He has published 16 peer-reviewed articles and received multiple awards and research grants. In May 2024, he joined the Translational Cardiovascular and Renal Research Group at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Australia as a Clinician Research Fellow. His research focuses on haemodynamics and organ injury in sepsis-associated acute kidney injury requiring continuous renal replacement therapy. His overarching goal is to improve cardiovascular, brain, and kidney outcomes in critically ill patients.

James is a professor of medical research at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, Hobart. He heads the Blood Pressure Research Group and is former Deputy Director of the Institute.

Dr Kaylee Slater is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and at the University of Sydney, with a strong focus on cardiovascular disease prevention and blood pressure management. Kaylee has led and contributed to numerous co-design and consumer involvement projects, developing patient education strategies tailored to diverse populations. Her research spans the care continuum, exploring hypertension management from both patient and healthcare professional perspectives. Kaylee uses qualitative methods to understand lived experiences and systemic barriers, informing evidence-based interventions. Her work integrates patient voices into clinical and educational frameworks, aiming to improve outcomes and engagement in primary care. Additionally, her current research includes a randomised controlled trial to improve blood pressure care in pharmacies and sex-specific blood pressure education for high risk women. She is also an Accredited Practising Dietitian with clinical experience in fertility and pregnancy nutrition.