Leadership &
Governance
Meet the researchers, clinicians and scientists who guide the strategic direction of the Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society.
Associate Professor Samantha Ginn, BSc (Hons), PhD
President, Australasian Gene and Cell Therapy Society
A message from our President
24th June 2026
Our Society exists to support its members in advancing the development and translation of gene and cell therapies across Australia. I would like to thank our Executive Committee for their ongoing dedication and contributions: Paul Gregorevic (Vice President), Ann Simpson (Treasurer), Kelly Martinovich (Secretary), Livia Carvalho, Chandana Herath, Leszek Lisowski, Alexandra O'Donohue, Jim Vadolas and Steve Wilton (ex officio).
This year, I am particularly excited about the launch of our new AGCTS website, which will provide an improved platform for communication, engagement, and sharing opportunities across our community. We are also looking forward to bringing members together at our biennial meeting in Melbourne this November. The meeting will be an excellent opportunity to showcase the latest advances in gene and cell therapy, foster collaborations, and strengthen connections across the field.
As always, the AGCTS exists for its members, and we welcome your ideas, feedback, and suggestions. Please feel free to reach out to the Executive Committee at any time with thoughts on how we can better support our community.
I look forward to another productive year as we continue to advance gene and cell therapy research and translation together.
AGCTS Executive Committee
The Executive Committee provides strategic direction and governance for the Society, representing the diverse expertise of the Australasian gene and cell therapy community.
Associate Professor Samantha Ginn
BSc (Hons), PhD
Senior Research Officer
Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney
sginn@cmri.org.au
Professor Paul Gregorevic
BSc (Hons), PhD
Head, Laboratory for Muscle Research and Therapeutics
Centre for Muscle Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne
pgre@unimelb.edu.au
Professor Ann Simpson
PhD, BSc (Hons)
Professor of Biochemistry
Gene Therapy & Translational Molecular Analysis Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney
Ann.Simpson@uts.edu.au
Dr Kelly Martinovich
PhD, BSc (Hons)
Research Fellow, Molecular Therapy Laboratory
Personalised Medicine Centre, Murdoch University
kelly.martinovich@murdoch.edu.au
Dr Livia Carvalho
MSc, PhD
Senior Lecturer, Retinal Genomics and Therapy
Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne
livia.carvalho@unimelb.edu.au
Associate Professor Chandana Herath
BVSc, PhD
Researcher, Hepatology Research Laboratory
Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University
chandana.herath@monash.edu
Professor Leszek Lisowski
PhD, MBA
Unit Head, Translational Vectorology Research Unit
Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney
llisowski@cmri.org.au
Dr Alexandra O'Donohue
BMedSci (Hons), PhD
Research Fellow, Bioengineering & Molecular Medicine Laboratory
Sydney Children's Hospital Network, The University of Sydney
alexandra.odonohue@sydney.edu.au
Dr Jim Vadolas
PhD
Group Leader, Immunohaematology Research Group
Hudson Institute of Medical Research
jim.vadolas@hudson.org.au
Professor Steve Wilton
AO, FAHMS
Foundation Chair in Molecular Therapies
Molecular Therapy Laboratory, Personalised Medicine Centre, Murdoch University
S.Wilton@murdoch.edu.au