Peter Mac wins three VCCC Alliance Leading for Impact Awards and Tony Burgess Medal
06 November 2025
Four Peter Mac staff have been recognised for their leadership at the 2025 VCCC Alliance Awards, that celebrate excellence and leadership in cancer research and care.
The award ceremony held on 5 November, saw three Peter Mac recipients receive Leading for Impact Awards and Dr Dane Cheasley accepted the Tony Burgess Medal for outstanding postdoctoral collaborative research that delivers broad patient benefit.
Outstanding Changemaker
The Perioperative Medicine Team, led by Professor Bernhard Riedel, received the Outstanding Changemaker award for their visionary work to improve safety, access and outcomes for cancer patients before and after surgery.
Their innovative six-step system integrates triage for prehabilitation before surgery, safe recovery processes, and readiness for subsequent cancer therapy, setting a new benchmark for perioperative cancer care in Australia.
Outstanding Leadership by Example
Associate Professor Marliese Alexander, Deputy Director of Pharmacy (Quality & Research), was named the winner of the Outstanding Leadership by Example award.
Associate Professor Alexander was recognised for her vision and impact in building a thriving pharmacy research program. She has created pathways for pharmacists to lead research, mentors PhD students, and is advancing safer, less toxic treatments that improve patient outcomes.
Outstanding Team Leader
Professor Karin Thursky, Director of the Centre for Health Services Research in Cancer, received the Outstanding Team Leader award for her transformative leadership in building and championing a culture of collaboration in health services research.
Professor Thursky has played a key role in establishing the Centre for Health Services Research in Cancer. She founded the Health Services Research Leadership Committee, uniting researchers across Peter Mac, Parkville, and regional Victoria to strengthen interdisciplinary networks and dismantle research silos.
Tony Burgess Medal
Dr Dane Cheasley received the VCCC Alliance Tony Burgess Medal, awarded for outstanding postdoctoral collaborative research that delivers broad patient benefit.
The award is named in honour of Professor Tony Burgess AC whose vision helped establish the VCCC and the medal recognises emerging leaders whose research is already making a major impact.
It was noted that Dr Cheasley’s work exemplifies the spirit of innovation and impact that this medal was created to celebrate.
Peter Mac Executive Director of Research, Professor Ricky Johnstone, congratulated the recipients and said that the awards highlight the remarkable leadership, innovation and collaboration that define Peter Mac.
“Each of these winners is driving real change to improve patient outcomes, strengthen our research culture, and set new standards across the cancer care system,” he said.
“I am delighted for Dr Cheasley whose work has identified potential new ways to diagnose low grade serous ovarian cancer, which is a slow growing tumour, often diagnosed in the later stages when the cancer has spread and doesn’t respond to treatment.”
The VCCC Alliance Leading for Impact Awards celebrate individuals and teams making a sustained and meaningful difference in cancer research, education, and care across Victoria.