Farewell to Neeru Varese, allergy researcher

Farewell to Ms Neeru Varese who has contributed to allergy research

in the Department of Immunology and Pathology for over 25 years. 

by Professors Jennifer Rolland and Robyn O'Hehir

This month we farewell Ms Neeru Varese who has worked in the Department of Immunology and Pathology for more than 25 years! 

Neeru first joined the Department for her BSc Honours year in 1996, conducting her research project under the supervision of Professor Jennifer Rolland on the T cell response to grass pollen allergens.  We were then very pleased that Neeru decided to join the Allergy research team under the leadership of Professors Robyn O’Hehir and Jennifer Rolland and more recently, Associate Professor Menno van Zelm.  

Save the date 18 June: Bill Johnson Farewell

SAVE THE DATE – Bill Johnson’s Farewell

Please save the date, Friday 18 June, for this important occasion.  We are taking the opportunity to farewell Associate Professor Bill Johnson and recognise his significant contribution to Alfred Health. Bill was Programme Director of Surgery, Perioperative Medicine and Ambulatory Care since 2010 at the Alfred. 

Farewell to Bonnie Dopheide from CCS

Bonnie Dopheide

After almost 10 years at Central Clinical School, Bonnie Dopheide will be leaving us at the end of May to take up a new position as Laboratory Safety & Compliance Manager at Biomedicine Discovery Institute on the Clayton campus.

Dr Michelle Zajac, Senior Research Manager, CCS, writes:

Bonnie started as an Administration Officer in 2012 but quickly moved into a Laboratory Operations role with the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases and Departments of Medicine and Surgery supporting laboratory operations and Occupational Health and Safety Compliance as part of CCS’s Research and Laboratory Operations Team.

Congratulations, thanks and farewell to Associate Professor Justin Hamilton

L-R: A/Prof Justin Hamilton with his  PhD student at the time, Shauna French, who is now at Harvard Medical School; A/Prof Nigel Jones with his current PhD student Flavia Gomes; Prof Nicola Harris who became one of CCS's graduate research coordinators in November 2018.

Congratulations to Associate Professor Justin Hamilton on his new adventure as CSL's Director of In vivo Biology. We will all miss you! Professor Terry O'Brien, Head of School, writes:

A bittersweet farewell to a popular staff member

Ashleigh Clarke with Head of School Professor Stephen Jane

The School said a reluctant goodbye last week to our Research Manager Ashleigh Clarke. Ash has been in the School since 2011, but she worked with our Head of School, Professor Stephen Jane, for many years prior to that at Royal Melbourne Hospital.

She's heading off to take on a similar role with Ballarat Health, a move that will significantly reduce her current four-hour plus daily commute.

Ash was farewelled with a lunch on March 28th.

Ash, Ballarat's gain is very much our loss.