Western Australia-based vascular surgeon and researcher Professor Shirley Jansen has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of her significant service to vascular surgery as a clinician, researcher and educator.
The Order of Australia recognises Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service or exceptional achievement. Appointments are made based on sustained impact within a field, profession or community.
Professor Jansen is the Lawrence-Brown Chair of Vascular Surgery at Curtin University, School of Population Health, and Head of the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, where she leads a busy service caring for more than 1,000 in-patients each year.
She is also Director of the Heart and Vascular Research Institute at the Perkins, where she has led major advances in first-in-human, pharmacological and device-based clinical trials in vascular disease.
Over her career, Professor Jansen has run more than 40 government and industry-sponsored clinical trials, the majority as Principal Investigator or Site Principal Investigator, many of which have driven global changes in the management of cardiovascular disease. She has published more than 160 research papers and book chapters and has secured more than $14 million in competitive research funding, including from the MRFF and NHMRC.
A key focus of her current research is the development of a world first therapeutic to treat atherosclerosis. Alongside Associate Professor Juliana Hamzah, the inventor, Professor Jansen is co-leading the development of ATH01, a first-in-class molecule discovered through cancer research that has shown promise in clearing plaque cholesterol and lipids from arterial walls. The team is working towards clinical trials in the coming years.
Professor Jansen is also a highly respected educator and mentor, having supervised more than 10 PhD and three Masters students to completion, with several more currently under her supervision.
Her appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia reflects a career dedicated to improving patient outcomes, advancing medical science and strengthening Australia’s global standing in vascular research and care.
