Congratulations to Professor Natkunam Ketheesan from the School of Science and Technology for being named a finalist for the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance 2023 Game Changer Award.

 The award celebrate’ the country’s top scientists who are innovating and transforming how things are done in the field of cardiovascular disease.

 Professor Ketheesan has been recognised for his ground-breaking research to minimise the impacts of Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease (ARF/RHD) triggered by group A streptococcus (GAS) bacteria from skin or throat infections.

 Central to Professor Ketheesan’s work is the development of a pioneering rat model which replicates clinical manifestations of ARF/RHD. This innovative model exhibits near-identical cardiac pathology to human patients and could eventually lead to the development of a life-saving vaccine for the preventable but deadly disease that claims the lives of 350,000 individuals annually.

 Winners will announced February 6th.

 Read more about Ketheesan’s work and shortlisting here:  https://ozheart.org/programs-and-events/cv-awards-excellence/finalists-2023/