Col Reynolds Fellows
A cohort of Australia's best researchers backed by a $7.6 million commitment.
Investing in the future of childhood cancer research
From a field of outstanding candidates across Australia, The Kids’ Cancer Project has funded the next generation of childhood cancer researchers through two rounds of Col Reynolds Fellowship applications. The Fellows represent a diverse range of research innovation and an investment commitment of $7.623 million.
The Fellowships named to honour our Founder, Col Reynolds OAM, are designed to help future-proof the childhood cancer research sector by giving brilliant scientists and budding talent the resources needed to continue their lifesaving and life-changing work.
The vision of this investment is to ensure every child with cancer survives to live a long and healthy life free from any side-effects.
CEO of The Kids’ Cancer Project, Owen Finegan, says that focusing funding on Australia’s next generation of scientists from the early stages of their careers is crucial to expanding our knowledge across all childhood cancers and reaching a day when 100% of kids with cancer survive and thrive after treatment.
The Fellows are sure to deliver breakthroughs across a range of areas relating to childhood cancer. The successful candidates, along with their institutes were chosen by our expert Research Advisory Committee (RAC) and are listed below:
The aim of Col Reynold Fellowships is to ensure extraordinary Australian scientists with great ideas are supported. This supports our mission to provide scientists with the funding they need to make discoveries, translate pioneering research, advance treatments and build support programs that will improve survival rates for all young people with cancer and allow them to thrive after treatment.
The Col Reynolds Fellowships recognise that innovation is the only way a future cure will be found. We are proud to help power the pipeline of pioneering scientists who will be able to build on what has already been achieved. All of the individuals who are the inaugural recipients are exceptional and deserve to be congratulated on what they have already achieved.
Meet all our Col Reynolds Fellows
Dr Evangeline Jackson
Project title: Pulling the plug on diffuse midline glioma. Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Early-Career Institute: University of Newcastle Funding: $510,000 (October 2024 – September 2027) Research Pillar: Discover Cancer Type:
Brain and CNS (Diffuse midline glioma / diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma)
Dr Michelle Tennant
Project title: RAD-VR: Virtual reality for radiation therapy Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Early-Career Institute: Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Funding: $508,299 (February 2025 – January 2028) Research Pillar: Support Cancer Type:
Various/Pan-cancer (Solid Tumours- General; Brain and CNS - General)
Dr Ryan Cross
Project title: Developing Novel Immune Therapies for Childhood Brain Cancer Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Mid-Career Institute: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Funding: $618,000 (January 2025 – December 2027) Research Pillar: Discover Cancer Type:
Brain and CNS (High-grade glioma, diffuse midline glioma)
Dr Emmy Fleuren
Project title: Finding better and kinder treatments for young people with sarcoma Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Mid-Career Institute: Children’s Cancer Institute Funding: $616,293 (April 2025 – April 2028) Research Pillar: Discover Cancer Type:
Sarcoma (Osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma)
Dr Noemi Fuentes-Bolanos
Project title: Uncovering SMARCB1’s Aquiles’ heel Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Clinical (Med) Institute: Children’s Cancer Institute Funding: $276,000 (October 2024 – September 2027) Research Pillar: Translate Cancer Type:
Various/Pan-cancer (SMARCB1-driven tumours)
Ms Rachel Edwards
Project title: Improving the management of symptoms for Kids with Cancer Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Clinical (Allied Health) Institute: Queensland University of Technology Funding: $204,000 (October 2024 – September 2027) Research Pillar: Translate Cancer Type:
Various/Pan-cancer (Research can be applied to all pediatric cancers)
PhD Scholarship recipient, Lorna McLeman
Project title: Preventing the development of leukaemia using a novel gene editing approach in Fanconi Anaemia Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds PhD Scholarship - Top Up Institute: St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research Funding: $15,000 (July 2024 – December 2025) Research Pillar: Translate Cancer Type:
Haematological cancers (Not specified (Fanconi anaemia predisposition))
PhD Scholarship recipient, Bryce Thomas
Project title: Starting a CAR in the cold Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds PhD Scholarship - Top Up Institute: University of Newcastle Funding: $30,000 (July 2024 – February 2027) Research Pillar: Discover Cancer Type:
Brain and CNS (Diffuse midline glioma / diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma)
PhD Scholarship recipient, Chelsea Valentin
Project title: Understanding How Occupational Therapy Supports Children with Cancer Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds PhD Scholarship - Top Up Institute: Sydney Children's Hospital Network Funding: $35,000 (July 2024 – December 2027) Research Pillar: Support Cancer Type:
Various/Pan-cancer (Research can be applied to all pediatric cancers)
Dr Aaminah Khan
Project title: Cutting off Cancer's Fuel to Treat Aggressive Childhood Brain Tumours Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Early-Career Institute: Children’s Cancer Institute Funding: $460,543.20 (January 2024 – December 2026) Research Pillar: Discover Cancer Type:
Brain and CNS (MYC-amplified medulloblastoma)
Dr David Mizrahi
Project title: Promoting physical activity across key domains of childhood cancer Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Early-Career Institute: The University of Sydney Funding: $502,680 (November 2023 – March 2027) Research Pillar: Support Cancer Type:
Various/Pan-cancer (Research can be applied to all pediatric cancers)
Dr Karin Plummer
Project title: DECIDE: co-design and evaluation of an e-health pain management decision aid for parents of children undergoing bone marrow transplantation. Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Early-Career Institute: Queensland Childrens Hospital; Griffith University Funding: $487,096 (January 2024 – December 2026) Research Pillar: Support Cancer Type:
Haematological cancers (Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL); Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML))
Dr Kenny Ip
Project title: Identifying novel treatment for H3-G34R/V childhood brain cancer patients Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Mid-Career Institute: Children’s Cancer Institute Funding: $616,945 (January 2024 – December 2026) Research Pillar: Discover Cancer Type:
Brain and CNS (H3-G34R/V high-grade glioma)
Dr Katherine Pillman
Project title: Using big data to improve the lives of children with neuroblastoma. Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Mid-Career Institute: The University of South Australia Funding: $616,945 (May 2024 – December 2027) Research Pillar: Discover Cancer Type:
Neuroblastoma (Neuroblastoma-General)
Dr Teresa Sadras
Project title: Improving outcomes for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Mid-Career Institute: Olivia Newtown John Cancer Research Institute Funding: $511,551 (June 2023 – October 2026) Research Pillar: Discover Cancer Type:
Haematological cancers (Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)- relapsed)
Dr Noa Lamm-Shalem
Project title: A Novel Approach to inhibit the AKT Cancer Driver from Inflicting Therapy Resistance in Kids Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Mid-Career Institute: Children’s Medical Research Institute Funding: $621,870 (January 2024 – December 2026) Research Pillar: Discover Cancer Type:
Various/Pan-cancer (AKT-driven tumours (Osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and neuroblastoma))
Dr Rachael Lawson
Project title: Implementation of genomic testing and software to improve individualised dosing of medicines. Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Clinical (Allied Health) Institute: Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service Funding: $204,000 (October 2023 – September 2026) Research Pillar: Translate Cancer Type:
Haematological cancers (Haematological- General; Neuroblastoma- Relapse; Sarcoma- Relapse; Research can be applied to all cancer types that require a stem cell transplatation. Predominately haemotological but also treatment intensive cancers such as relase neuroblastoma and ewings sarcoma)
Dr Marion Mateos
Project title: Providing hope for children with high-risk brain cancer Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Clinical (Med) Institute: Children’s Cancer Institute Funding: $276,000 (January 2024 – December 2026) Research Pillar: Translate Cancer Type:
Brain and CNS (Diffuse midline glioma / diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma)
Dr Joseph Yuan-Mou Yang
Project title: Improving outcomes of childhood brain tumour surgery with advanced surgical image-guidance Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds Fellowship - Clinical (Med) Institute: Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Funding: $275,962 (November 2023 – October 2026) Research Pillar: Translate Cancer Type:
Brain and CNS (Research can be applied to all brain tumour types that have surgery as a treatment option.)
Col Reynolds Fellow, Philipp Graber
Recipient: Philipp Graber
Institute: Children’s Cancer Institute
Funding: $25,000.00
PhD Scholarship - Top Up
Jacqueline Hunter
Project title: Understanding how genetic testing in children with cancer affects families emotionally, socially and psychologically. Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds PhD Scholarship - Top Up Institute: University of Melbourne Funding: $30,000 (June 2023 – November 2026) Research Pillar: Support Cancer Type:
Various/Pan-cancer (Research can be applied to all pediatric cancers)
Col Reynolds Fellowships, Megumi Hui Ai Lim
Recipient: Megumi (Meg) Lim
Institute: Queensland University of Technology
Funding: $20,000.00
PhD Scholarship - Top Up
Dr Hannah Walker
Project title: BREATH: Breathe easier after transplantation (haematopietic) Type of fellowship: Col Reynolds PhD Scholarship - Top Up Institute: Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Royal Children's Hospital Funding: $35,000 (July 2023 – December 2026) Research Pillar: Translate Cancer Type:
Haematological cancers (Leukaemia- Relapsed and Refractory)
We're able to commit $7.6 million to the Col Reynolds Fellowships thanks to the generous support of our community.
Funding the Col Reynolds Fellowships relies on the generous support of our visionary donor and corporate community. With continued generous support talented scientists can remain in the childhood cancer research sector as they work towards 100% The Kids Cancer Projects vision to see 100% of children, adolescents and young adults survive cancer and live with no long-term health implications caused by their treatment.
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There are plenty of ways you can help create a brighter future for kids with cancer during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Celebrating our biggest Golf Day yet
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What a day! Our 2026 NSW Spring Golf Day was our biggest yet, with a capacity crowd of 37 teams and 74 carts, raising over $140,000 for childhood cancer research.
Celebrating the impact we have made together in FY’26
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September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and it's the perfect time to reflect on what we've achieved together over the past 12 months.
Your Impact 2026
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Read how your support has helped save lives and is pushing kids' cancer research further than ever before.
Smartways Logistics are helping to bring more comfort to children with cancer this Bear Giving Day
31/08/2026
This year, in support of Bear Giving Day, Smartways is helping make this impact go even further by generously matching these donations, helping us make more of an impact.
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Support Funding the Future of Childhood Cancer Research
Our commitment of $7.6 million towards the Col Reynolds Fellowships is thanks to the generous and ongoing support of the community and our partners. Help us assist talented young researchers and keep them in the field by making a donation today.
Focused funding towards Australia’s best and brightest scientists from career outset to its pinnacle is crucial in expanding our knowledge and survival rates across all childhood cancers if we are to ensure 100% healthy survival of Aussie kids.