Helping to save lives
Dr Jean Winter has been awarded an Early Detection Grant from PanKind Foundation grant valued at $99,858 to develop a new blood test to detect early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common type of pancreatic cancer.
The majority of pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed when the patient starts experiencing symptoms, when the tumour has already spread to other parts of the body, and only 5% of people with this stage of cancer will live beyond five years. One of the most common forms of pancreatic cancer is called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The aim of this project is to measure over five thousand proteins in the blood from patients with and without PDAC using an advanced technology, which is specifically tailored to measure very low abundant proteins.
“The goal is to identify the best proteins that will be able to identify a patient with an early-stage PDAC. We hope to develop these new proteins into a highly accurate blood test to screen for pancreatic cancer. This will enable these cancers to be found earlier, significantly improving pancreatic cancer survival rates,” says Dr Winter.
First issue for SA’s new literary journal
With support from Flinders’ College of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, South Australia’s new literary journal Splinter has released its first issue. An initiative driven by the College, Splinter was launched earlier this year and is published by Writers SA with support from all three of SA’s universities.
Led by South Australian writer and journalist Farrin Foster, Splinter is a print journal showcasing the best writing from local, national and international writers, with the first issue featuring 25 writers, including 6 from South Australia.
Alum artist receives residency
Congratulations to Flinders alum, emerging multidisciplinary artist and experimental filmmaker, Tiah Trimboli who has been announced by the Helpmann Academy as the recipient of the Helpmann Academy British School at Rome 2025 residency, valued at $30,000. This follows on from Tiah being awarded a $45,000 Hanlon Larsen Screen Fellowship to support her experimental film project, STREGA.
Since graduating from Flinders with a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Screen), Tiah’s works have been exhibited at Sauerbier House, Festival Centre’s Moving Image Program, with her most recent experimental film installation project, STREGA, debuting at this year’s Adelaide Film Festival.
Tiah will spend three-months from April next year immersed in the heart of the Italian capital, at the prestigious British School at Rome. Known as the BSR, it is Britain’s leading humanities research institute abroad and one of the most prestigious foreign academies in Italy. Read more.
Supporting students with disability
Community Bridging Services (CBS) Inc. hosted an event last week to celebrate scholarship recipient and Flinders University student Helen Carr.
The third recipient since the scholarship began in 2022, it aims to remove additional barriers that students with disabilities may face while studying, encouraging a community-minded approach to their careers and a brighter future.
At the event, Helen Carr shared her journey with guests, “Growing up in Adelaide with lived experience of disability, and with a desire to be heard and drive change, I was inspired to pursue a Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education. The biggest challenge for me has been balancing my studies with the responsibilities of parenting. This scholarship has provided me the freedom to focus on my education without the pressure of part-time work, allowing me to delve deeply into my studies.”
Flinders University Associate Professor Michelle Bellon, Course Coordinator of the Bachelor of Disability & Developmental Education said, “Flinders University has a proud history of supporting diversity and inclusion. We deeply value our partnership with CBS and the positive impact this scholarship brings in supporting our students to achieve their educational goals.”
This partnership builds on a four-year collaboration between CBS Inc. and Flinders that has successfully assisted students with disabilities across all disciplines in securing graduate employment opportunities through the University Specialist Employment Partnership (USEP). USEP is funded through the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS,) Disability Employment Service (DES). Read more about the scholarship and event at CBS Inc’s website.
Maritime archaeology scholarship advancing Dutch-Australian heritage
Congratulations to Alexandre Hinton from the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences on receiving The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Maritime Archaeological Scholarship.
Building on years of research into Australia’s collection of Dutch shipwrecks off the West Australian coast, Flinders University will partner with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Australia to offer the PhD scholarship.
It forms part of the ARC Linkage project ‘Mobilising Dutch East India Company Collections for New Global Stories’ and underscores the commitment of both institutions to advancing research in maritime archaeology and exploring the two countries’ shared heritage. Read more.