Great minds gather for the second of this year’s Biomedicine Nucleus Home Rooms
Next up, students will get VIP access to a medical museum that is not open to the public.
It was a meeting of minds at the second Nucleus Home Room event for 2026. First year BBiomed students got to engage with Laureate Professor Peter Doherty, Emeritus Professor Jacques Miller and Dr Fern Koay. It was a special experience for experts and students alike, with curious questions and invaluable insights from the leading lights of immunology.
In a Q&A session facilitated by Dr Abi Brooker, Professor Doherty spoke about the importance of collaboration with other researchers and about how quickly research is evolving with new technologies.
The afternoon session provided an educational conversation between Dr Koay and Emeritus Professor Miller. Making use of props and student participation, the experts explained how Professor Miller proved the thymus had a function in the development of T-cells.
Next up, on Monday 30 March, Biomedicine Nucleus Home Rooms will visit the Harry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology. The museum is not open to the public and access is restricted. So, this is a unique opportunity for students to see, what is, one of Australia’s largest collection of anatomical specimens and models.
After the visit, students will adjourn to our usual location on Level 8 to meet Professor Elizabeth Molloy in the morning and Professor Mike McGuckin in the afternoon – and enjoy some free snacks.
Elizabeth Molloy is a professor in workplace learning and Deputy Dean Education in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. She leads the learning and teaching strategy for the Faculty, with a strong focus on student experience, curriculum, assessment, clinical education, and teacher development. A researcher in feedback, workplace learning, assessment and interprofessional education, her work is grounded in supporting students to feel confident, connected, and able to thrive as learners in complex environments.
Professor Mike McGuckin the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Healthy Sciences and is responsible for the strategic oversight of the health research across our faculty.
He is a biomedical research scientist whose research focused on mucosal infection, chronic inflammation and cancer in the gastrointestinal tract who now devotes his time to driving leadership across the academic and health research and education landscape. He is passionate in the development of researchers and advancing standards of quality and integrity in research and driving meaningful real world change.
Week 5 will be a session students will not want to miss!
