Professors Jayesh Desai and Belinda Parker elected as Fellows of AAHMS
29 October 2025
Two Peter Mac researchers, Professors Jayesh Desai and Belinda Parker have been elected as Fellows of the prestigious Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) for their outstanding contribution to cancer research.
The AAHMS Fellowship elects the best and brightest minds in Australia to join the Academy in recognition of their achievements and exceptional, ongoing contributions in the field of medical and health sciences.
Professor Jayesh Desai is the Associate Director of Clinical Research and leads the Phase I/Early Drug Development program at Peter Mac. He has led over 50 clinical trials helping to bring new treatments to cancer patients.
Professor Belinda Parker Co-Heads the Cancer Evolution and Metastasis Program at Peter Mac and her laboratory aims to uncover new biomarkers (genes/proteins) that predict risk of cancer spread and response to therapy and to uncover novel precision therapeutic strategies.
"Being elected to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences is a great honour and one I am immensely proud of,” Professor Desai said.
“Peter Mac is a leader in early drug development and first in human trials and we could not do this work without the talented team of nurses, data analysts and project managers.”
Professor Parker said she was delighted to be recognised for her contribution to cancer research and was thrilled to be a Fellow of such a prestigious Academy.
“I am fortunate to be the recipient of two substantial grants this year that I hope will help us expand precision immunotherapy and improve outcomes for patients with metastatic disease,” she said.
The AAHMS welcomed its 29 new Fellows in a ceremony last night. The Academy’s President, Professor Louise Baur AM FAHMS, said the new fellows represent the very best of the health and medical sciences in Australia.