“On the trail of peripheral arterial disease.”

A light lunch will be served in the foyer following the presentation.

Dr. Mary Kavurma leads the Centre for Peripheral Artery Disease at the Heart Research Institute (HRI) and is the head of the Vascular Complications Group. She also serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. After completing her PhD at UNSW’s Centre for Vascular Research in 2003, she moved to Cambridge University as an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellow, working with Professor Martin Bennett, where she developed an interest in TRAIL biology in the vascular system. In 2007, she returned to UNSW to establish her independent research, and in 2013, she joined HRI to lead the Vascular Complications Group.

Dr Kavurma’s research focuses on cellular mechanisms of atherosclerosis, the key driver of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease. She has received numerous fellowships (NHMRC, Heart Foundation, UNSW Vice Chancellor) and secured multiple Project and Ideas grants (NHMRC, Heart Foundation). She has held leadership roles in the Australian Atherosclerosis Society (as Director and Secretary) and the Australian Vascular Biology Society (as Secretary). She is currently co-director of ACvA’s Disease Mechanisms flagship. With a strong commitment to promoting medical research to the public, her scientific, communicative, and community outreach efforts were recognized with a Young Tall Poppy Science Award.