GENDER EQUALITY: NOT ONLY A WOMEN'S ISSUE

Dr Marloes Dekker Nitert 
UQ School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences

Dr Marloes Dekker Nitert is a Senior Research Fellow at The University of Queensland. Marloes is a biomedical researcher with a PhD from Lund University in Sweden. Her research focuses on the role of metabolism in complications of pregnancy. She currently heads a laboratory research group at the UQ Centre for Clinical Research studying the role of the gut microbiome in pregnancy, the role of food additives on placental function and placental gene expression and epigenetic markers in pregnancy complications. Marloes works closely together with clinician-scientists and clinicians at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. She is part of the SPRING RCT team which assesses if probiotics can prevent gestational diabetes mellitus in overweight and obese women. Marloes is a scientific representative on the SOMANZ council.

> Dr Marloes Dekker Nitert Bio

Dr Wafa El-Adhami (MSc & PhD - ANU)
SAGE Executive Director

Dr. Wafa El-Adhami has a research background in molecular biology and microbiology, and has held a number of senior management positions in the Australian Government, including the Department of Health and Ageing, the Office of Chemical Safety and the Occupational Health and Safety Commission. In recent years, Wafa worked internationally for the Health Authority of the emirate of Abu Dhabi leading and managing health policy regulations and reforms for the emirate. She also worked as a consultant, in Australia and internationally, specialising in health policy, regulation and clinical decision support solutions. 

Wafa has a proven track record in delivering outcomes within a complex environment of government, community and industry stakeholders. Her expertise in management, stakeholder engagement and policy and regulatory reform, particularly in developing and implementing evidence based solutions to drive clinical transformation and improved performance are of direct relevance to the SAGE program.  She is passionate about health and science and contributing to advancing gender equity and diversity in higher education and research. 

> More information about SAGE (Science in Australia Gender Equity)

Prof Bob Williamson
AO Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science & Fellow of Royal Society

Bob Williamson became Professor of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at St Mary’s Hospital Medical School, Imperial College London, in 1976. In 1995 he moved to Melbourne as Director of the Murdoch Institute and Professor of Medical Genetics, retiring in 2004. 

He worked on genes for thalassaemia, craniofacial abnormalities, cystic fibrosis, myotonic dystrophy and Alzheimer disease, and now takes a major interest in national science policy and ethics.  He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (where he was Secretary for Science Policy 2009-2013), a Fellow of the Royal Society, and an Officer of the Order of Australia.