Congratulations Dr Margaret Simonian (MPhil, PhD) on being the recipient of the 2025 Global Australian Award being recognised for...

Congratulations Dr Margaret Simonian (MPhil, PhD) on being the recipient of the 2025 Global Australian Award being recognised for her impact in health and life sciences. Dr Simonian’s journey is extraordinary. Born in Iraq to Armenian parents, she relocated to Australia during the Iraq War, arriving as a child on her own. Knowing only one person in Australia with whom she stayed for her first month, she demonstrated remarkable resilience, tenacity and courage in building a future in a new country, culture and language. Now, a research Scientist at UCLA, Dr Simonian earned her doctorate in Advanced Medicine from the Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Dr Simonian has served as a Research Scientist at Macquarie University and later as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Neurology at Harbor–UCLA Medical Center. She has made significant contributions to both research and academic teaching throughout her career. Her research focuses on the application of proteomics, molecular biology and radioproteomics in biomarker discovery, as well as in advancing drug development and therapeutic strategies for diseases including brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), brain tumours, and liver and prostate cancers. Notably, Dr Simonian’s pioneering work on brain AVMs, which began at Macquarie University and continued at UCLA, was the first worldwide to employ proteomics to identify protein targets for vascular and molecular therapies following radiosurgery. This groundbreaking research has resulted in numerous publications and continues today at Macquarie University. Her proteomics research on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is also among the few studies conducted at an international scale. Dr Margaret Simonian exemplifies the power of science, resilience and global contribution. Through pioneering research, international collaboration and a deep commitment to advancing medical knowledge, she has helped open new frontiers in the treatment of complex and life-threatening diseases. Her journey, from arriving in Australia alone as a child to becoming a globally respected research scientist, reflects the very best of Australian opportunity and determination. Congratulations Margaret!