Meet Professor Fabienne Mackay: Driving innovation in immunology, research translation and commercialisation

Professor Fabienne Mackay is an internationally recognised immunologist whose pioneering research has advanced understanding of the immune system and its role in autoimmune diseases and cancer. Her work has contributed to major discoveries in immune regulation, helping to inform the development of new therapeutic approaches for complex diseases.

Professor Mackay is a valued member of NHMRC's Industry, Philanthropy and Commercialisation Committee (2024–2027), providing expert advice on strengthening partnerships, supporting innovation and enhancing pathways for translating Australian health and medical research into health, economic and societal benefits.

Behind every researcher is a story. Watch this video to discover the journey, experiences and insights that have shaped their work, and hear firsthand reflections from Fabienne’s role as a researcher, leader and member of IPCC.

Video transcript

0:04
My name is Fabienne Mackay. I am Director and CEO of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Berghofer, based in Brisbane, in Queensland. There are many, many challenges because often researchers come a very traditional, from a very traditional academic environment and they speak a different language than industry.

So, I had a chance of, I've worked in industry, actually prior to coming to Australia, I was in Boston working for a biotech company. In fact, I studied in industry, also did my PhD in industry of Man Lounge in Switzerland. And then I moved to academia in Australia in 99, mostly because there was no industry. So that's the reason why by default I went to a traditional academic wall.

But I can see the disconnect in terms of the language and in terms of the world. What academia wants is different than what industry wants. Industry is only interested in what academics are doing if whatever you're doing has reached a certain level of maturity. Industry is very risk adverse as well.

1:08
You know, they can take some risk, but they want something that's already well advanced in terms of the development.

So, what we need to do in Australia is being aware of our innovation, especially innovation that has commercial value or potential commercial value, potential health value and make sure that we invest in it as far as we can invest in it, before we have an exit strategy with industry.

I think one opportunity is rethinking culture. Coming from Boston and Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, culture is very different.

You see as a director of medical research institutes, I have young researchers who have an appetite to go into industry. And there's a very good reason because you're all aware that the success rate for grants is very low in Australia at the moment, and they feel very insecure and they see industry as potential career where they can use their research skills. But at the same time, they're very scared by industry because it's still a risky business.

Industry in Australia, it's very small and it's a risky business. So, when you look at the dollar, very often researchers were no longer going to research or traditional research jobs in academia. They end up being in non-research jobs in the higher education sector.

2:31
Well, I wish the NHMRC a very, very happy 90th birthday. I think it's incredible the contribution the NHMRC is made in Australia.

Let's not forget that Australians are the pioneers of some of the biggest discoveries that have been made in the world.

My field is immunology. And you know, I'm, I'm proud to say that Australia has some of the biggest Nobel Prize winners in immunology in the world, being Burnet or being Peter Doherty.

And I think we should thank the NHMRC and the investment the NHMRC has made in that discovery research that has been groundbreaking and so important. Not just for understanding of the immune system, for the development of vaccine and immunotherapies, but also, you know, for the place Australia has in the world in terms of its the strengths of its research.

End of transcript.