Top honour for Jewish scientist
EPILEPSY expert Professor Ingrid Scheffer was named the Asia-Pacific L’Oreal-UNESCO Laureate for Women in Science at a ceremony in Paris earlier this month, a distinction she believes is a fillip for women in a male-dominated field.
EPILEPSY expert Professor Ingrid Scheffer was named the Asia-Pacific L’Oreal-UNESCO Laureate for Women in Science at a ceremony in Paris earlier this month, a distinction she believes is a fillip for women in a male-dominated field.
Scheffer was recognised for her groundbreaking research into the genetics behind epilepsy – the culmination of nearly 20 years of work.
Speaking in a video screened at the awards ceremony, Scheffer said one of the major issues that held women back from pursuing a scientific career was a lack of confidence.
“We really need to grow women and to show them that they can succeed,” Scheffer said.
“I think that we can lead the world in many ways and I would encourage lots of young women to do that,” she added.
Director of the Florey Neurosciences Institutes (FNI), Professor Geoffrey Donnan said: “This sort of award is incredibly prestigious and the people who have been awarded prior to her are really top-flight scientists. She is very much in that category.”
In 1995, the paediatric neurologist was part of a team of researchers who discovered a gene mutation, which causes violent seizures during sleep.
Since then, the researchers have located 13 of the 23 genes associated with epilepsy, making diagnosis of the disease, which affects 50 million people, much simpler.
“Being a paediatrician, a paediatric neurologist, is incredibly important to me. I think it’s very much about who I am. I love looking after my patients and their families, and seeing the science come back and help them is very important,” said Scheffer.
Scheffer became the third Australian to receive the accolade, which recognises women researchers who have contributed to overcoming global challenges.
Around 2000 eminent international scientists were involved in the nomination of candidates.
Scheffer holds a chair at the University of Melbourne, is a senior principal research fellow at FNI, and is a paediatric neurologist and epileptologist at Austin Health and the Royal Children’s Hospital.
LIVIA ALBECK-RIPKA
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