IAP Young Physician Leaders (YPL) alumnus receives the Victorian 2021 Young Tall Poppy Science Award

IAP Young Physician Leaders (YPL) alumnus Fabien Vincent is among the researchers who have received the 2021 Victorian Young Tall Poppy Science Award.

"As reported on the Monash University website, Fabien Vincent's research tackles a devastating and currently incurable autoimmune illness called ‘lupus’, and particularly focuses on the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Lupus affects about 1 in 1000 people across the population. However, for reasons unknown, this is two to four times more common (and more severe) in Indigenous Australians.

“My vision is to unravel the reasons for this and use this knowledge to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians with lupus.To do this, we first take blood from patients and then measure many thousands of genes and proteins. Using complex data analysis methods, known as bioinformatics, we analyse all these blood markers at once. This study is the first to establish a national Indigenous lupus registry and biobank and will allow doctors in the near future to find the right drug for the right patient. It will also ensure that Indigenous Australians suffering from lupus will not miss out on breakthrough treatments, or be needlessly exposed to ineffective medicines. Ultimately, this is an important step to closing the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian lupus sufferers.

I am deeply honoured to be awarded a Young Tall Poppy Science Award, and I look forward to working with the Australian Institute of Policy and Science in the near future,” said Dr Vincent.