The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated on February 11th each year. It's a day to recognise the contributions of women and girls in science and technology, and to promote their participation in these fields.
Women make up just 36 per cent of enrolments in university STEM courses and 27 per cent of the workforce across all STEM industries.
Here at HRI we are working hard to increase these numbers and improve gender equality across the organisation generally and within science specifically.
This year marks the 10th annual event, and to celebrate we spoke to several of HRI's female scientists, Prof Julie McMullen, Assoc Prof Mary Kavurma and Dr Cindy Gueguen about their career journeys and advice for aspiring medical researchers.
JULIE: As a child I was very curious, fascinated by nature, and received lots of science-based presents. Science was my favourite subject at school, and I had some enthusiastic teachers. At a young age, I had family members who were impacted by heart disease. A career in medical research gave me an opportunity to combine my passion for science with trying to help people.
I completed a biomedical science Honours course at Uni followed by a PhD. I was then fortunate to get the opportunity to train at Harvard Medical School in the US before returning to Australia to start up my own research lab.
MARY: I've always been in interested in biology and by how the human body works, but my interest in research really took off during my 2nd year at university, when I was selected for a student summer vacation scholarship at the CSIRO. I loved the experience - working in the wet lab, exploring questions and developing new approaches to investigate them. After my Honours, I worked as a research assistant for two years, which then sparked my interest in blood vessels and their role in cardiovascular disease (CVD). That experience drove me to pursue a PhD.
Seeing the potential of how my research could be used to find new diagnostics and treatments and improve the lives of CVD patients ignited my passion and commitment to this field. I've dedicated over 20 years to exploring how blood vessels work, and how they become dysfunctional in CVD.
CINDY: As a child, I always liked to experiment with whatever was around me. Coming from regional France, I was not exposed to the medical research field and then decided to study to work in hospital laboratories (the only labs I knew about). After that, I graduated from a technical university and I was told that, because of my background, I would never work as a researcher. And here I am 20 years later!
HRI's Professor Julie McMullen (left) and Associate Professor Mary Kavurma (right) are both passionate about mentoring women in STEMM.
How did you get your start in a career of medical research?
JULIE: As a child I was very curious, fascinated by nature, and received lots of science-based presents. Science was my favourite subject at school, and I had some enthusiastic teachers. At a young age, I had family members who were impacted by heart disease. A career in medical research gave me an opportunity to combine my passion for science with trying to help people.
I completed a biomedical science Honours course at Uni followed by a PhD. I was then fortunate to get the opportunity to train at Harvard Medical School in the US before returning to Australia to start up my own research lab.
MARY: I've always been in interested in biology and by how the human body works, but my interest in research really took off during my 2nd year at university, when I was selected for a student summer vacation scholarship at the CSIRO. I loved the experience - working in the wet lab, exploring questions and developing new approaches to investigate them. After my Honours, I worked as a research assistant for two years, which then sparked my interest in blood vessels and their role in cardiovascular disease (CVD). That experience drove me to pursue a PhD.
Seeing the potential of how my research could be used to find new diagnostics and treatments and improve the lives of CVD patients ignited my passion and commitment to this field. I've dedicated over 20 years to exploring how blood vessels work, and how they become dysfunctional in CVD.
CINDY: As a child, I always liked to experiment with whatever was around me. Coming from regional France, I was not exposed to the medical research field and then decided to study to work in hospital laboratories (the only labs I knew about). After that, I graduated from a technical university and I was told that, because of my background, I would never work as a researcher. And here I am 20 years later!
Dr Cindy Gueguen is a Senior Research Officer at HRI
Do you have any tips for students or younger women in STEMM wanting to get a start in a science-based career?
JULIE
- Reach out to women who have commenced study in science or have a career in science for advice and learn about their experiences.
- Don't try and fit a stereotype. Women with all types of backgrounds, personalities and leadership styles can have successful science-based careers
- A successful science-based career is different for everyone. It can include leading a research lab/group, working in industry/pharmaceutical company, managing a platform/facility within a research institute/university, teaching science, or working as a scientific writer.
MARY
- Explore topics that genuinely spark your curiosity-whether it's biology, engineering, or technology.
- Don't hesitate to seek out mentors and role models who inspire you. Their guidance and support can help you with your journey and build your confidence.
- Be bold in pursuing opportunities e.g., applying for summer scholarships, volunteering, or reaching out to researchers whose work interests you. The best learning often happens outside your comfort zone.
- Don't underestimate the power of networking and collaboration. Join organisations or groups that support women in STEMM-it's an invaluable source of opportunities.
CINDY
- Stay curious and follow your dreams and passions, you never know where they will bring you!
ABOUT PROF JULIE McMULLEN
Prof Julie McMullen is Deputy Director & Director of Research at the Heart Research Institute (HRI) and also leads the Heart Muscle Group. She is recognised internationally for research which has defined the molecular distinction between physiological and pathological heart growth (cardiac hypertrophy) in preclinical models of health and disease.
Prof McMullen graduated from the School of Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of New South Wales. She then trained as a Cardiology Research Fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre and Harvard Medical School in Boston. During this time, she gained experience generating and characterising cardiac specific transgenic mice. In 2005, Prof McMullen established her own laboratory at the Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute. Her lab has published in journals including PNAS, Circulation-Heart Failure, Nature Communications, Cell Reports, and Nature Cardiovascular Research.
Prof McMullen has been on the Executive council of the International Society for Heart Research-Australasian Section, and serves on a number of journal editorial boards. She was recently appointed as an Associate Editor of a new Nature Portfolio Journal-NPJ-Cardiovascular Health. She is also a Fellow of the American Heart Association and International Society for Heart Research.
Associate Professor Mary Kavurma is Group Leader of the Vascular Complications Group and the Centre for PAD and Associate Director of Research and Education at HRI. She is Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. Mary received her PhD in 2003 from the Centre for Vascular Research at the University of New South Wales, and in 2004 moved to the UK, Cambridge University after she was awarded a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia CJ Martin Fellowship. After returning to Sydney in 2007, she established her independent research, joining HRI as Head of the Vascular Complications Group in 2013.
Mary's research interests are focused on understanding fundamental mechanisms in molecular and cellular biology leading to intimal thickening, atherosclerosis, and its complications including coronary artery and peripheral artery disease (PAD). She has held numerous Fellowships and Project grants. She plays an active role in the scientific community and was involved in the Australian Atherosclerosis Society (Secretary; Director), the Australian Vascular Biology Society (Secretary), and more recently, is Director of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance's Disease Mechanisms Flagship Advisory Group. Mary has an active interest in promoting medical research to the lay community. Her achievements in scientific research, communication and community engagement were acknowledged with a Young Tall Poppy Science Award.
ABOUT DR CINDY GUEGUEN
Dr Cindy Gueguen joined the Heart Muscle Group at the Heart Research Institute (Sydney) in 2024 as a Senior Research Officer. She is a pharmacologist with more than 15 years of experience in developing and delivering preclinical packages to support clinical transition for a broad range of disease indications, within both academia and industry. She has a particular interest in the treatment of cardio- and cerebro-vascular diseases and their associated co-morbidities. Her current research is exploring novel therapeutic targets to prevent and treat myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, and anti-cancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity.
Cindy received her PhD in Pharmacology from Paris Descartes University (France) in 2013. Since then, she has published her research in various journals, including British Journal of Pharmacology, Diabetologia, Hypertension Research, Frontiers in Physiology.
