The RMH announces five new 2025 Research Hall of Fame inductees

Professor Roberts is a Clinical Haematologist at the RMH and holds the Metcalf Chair of Leukaemia Research at the University of Melbourne, as well as Cancer Theme Co-Leader at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. His work has contributed to improved treatments for leukaemia and lymphoma, including the development of venetoclax, now used internationally for chronic lymphocytic and acute myeloid leukaemia.  He led the first-in-human venetoclax trial at the RMH in 2011, which has informed over 500 subsequent studies worldwide and contributed to improved survival for many patients. His research has been published in journals including The New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine and Science, and he has received the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation, Eureka Prize, Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence in Biomedical Research and election to the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.  As a clinician and mentor, Professor Roberts has supported the development of haematologists and clinician-scientists and fostered collaboration across the RMH, WEHI and the broader biomedical community to improve outcomes for people with blood cancers.  

Professor Kalman is Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at the RMH and Professor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne. Over two decades, he has advanced understanding and treatment of heart rhythm disorders, including strategies for atrial fibrillation that have informed clinical guidelines and improved patient care globally.  He has published over 560 peer-reviewed papers, cited over 60,000 times. Professor Kalman was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2018 and has received awards including the RT Hall Prize, Eric Susman Prize, Paul Wood Medal and NHMRC Excellence Award.  A Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, Professor Kalman has supervised over 40 PhD candidates and supported the careers of clinician-scientists internationally. His work has contributed to the RMH’s leadership in cardiovascular research and patient care.  

Professor Colman, a clinician-scientist in endocrinology, served as Director of the Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology at the RMH for 25 years. Under his leadership, the department developed multidisciplinary models and treatment approaches that have improved patient outcomes across Victoria and nationally. His research has focused on predicting and preventing type 1 diabetes, including studies on autoimmune diabetes and early antibody testing. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers and contributed to major international trials.  A former President of the Australian Diabetes Society and Chair of the Melbourne Health Human Research Ethics Committee since 2006, Professor Colman has mentored endocrinologists and researchers and influenced national clinical and research standards. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to medicine, particularly diabetes research, patient education, and clinical care.  

Professor Leslie, a specialist anaesthetist at the RMH since 1994, is Head of Research in the Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management and holds honorary professorial fellowships at the University of Melbourne and Monash University. She has published over 240 papers, secured over $36 million in research funding, and is one of six editors of Miller’s Anaesthesia.  Her research has informed improvements in patient safety and clinical practice. Her studies have defined optimal depth of anaesthesia to reduce awareness, highlighted harms of nitrous oxide, and contributed to safer perioperative management to prevent cardiac complications and chronic pain.  A founding member and former chair of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Clinical Trials Network, Professor Leslie has led international trials and developed a collaborative research program in anaesthesia. She has mentored clinicians and advocates for women in medicine.  Her achievements include election as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2015), appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia (2016), and the award of Doctor of Medical Science honoris causa by the University of Melbourne (2017). She is a former President of ANZCA and the Australian Medical Council.  

Professor Thursky, an infectious diseases physician and digital health researcher, has been at the RMH since 1998, where she founded and leads the RMH Guidance Group. The Group has developed digital tools such as the Guidance AMS platform and the National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS), used in national infection control programs across over 600 hospitals and 1,000 aged care facilities.  At the Doherty Institute, she leads the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship (NCAS), applying a One Health approach to antimicrobial use across human and animal health. She is also Director of the Centre for Health Services Research in Cancer at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where she leads research in digital health, infection prevention, and implementation science. Her work has contributed to embedding antimicrobial stewardship in health service accreditation and national sepsis improvement programs.  With over 300 peer-reviewed publications and a H-index of 66, Professor Thursky is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and the Australian Institute of Digital Health. Her achievements include the Dame Kate Campbell Fellowship and multiple national awards for research translation and patient care. She has mentored multidisciplinary teams in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, microbiology, and veterinary science, supporting collaboration across the RMH and the Parkville Precinct.