Meet the 2025 Winner: Chantal Donovan, PhD
Chantal Donovan, PhD is a respiratory pharmacologist and Head of the Immunopharmacology Research Group (IPRG) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Australia and Research Leader at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. She also holds an honorary affiliate position at the University of Newcastle & Hunter Medical Research Institute. She has been a member of the RSF since joining the ATS as a doctoral student in 2013 and is deeply honored to receive the RSF Ann Woolcock Memorial Award.
Dr. Donovan completed her PhD in Pharmacology at The University of Melbourne in 2015 and postdoctoral training at Monash University and the University of Newcastle (Immunology & Microbiology). She was awarded a prestigious NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (2017-2020) and NHMRC New Investigator grant (2018-2021) and was recruited to UTS as a faculty member in 2019.
Her research specialises in drug discovery and pharmacological testing of novel treatments for lung diseases, using novel pre-clinical models of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer, combined with cutting-edge techniques to measure lung physiology, pharmacology and immunological mechanisms (e.g. precision cut lung slices, flow cytometry and single cell RNA sequencing).
Dr. Donovan has authored 69 publications in top-ranked respiratory and general interest journals (lead [first/senior] on 29, H-index 28, >2300 citations) and has received >$3 million in funding to date (>$1M as CIA). She has been the recipient of 30 awards/prizes, including the Alan Skyring Memorial Award (Australian Society of Medical Research) and Denis Wade Outstanding Young Investigator Award (British Pharmacological Society/ASCEPT). She is regularly invited to chair and lead symposia at national pharmacology and respiratory society meetings and national and international conference organising committees. She is also an ASCEPT board director and convenes the ASCEPT Respiratory and Inflammation Special Interest Group.
Award Description
This award honors the life of the late Ann Woolcock, M.B.B.S., F.R.A.C.P., A.O., of Sydney University. Dr. Woolcock was an international leader in the field of asthma in areas of epidemiology, physiology and medicine. The eligibility criteria for this award have been designed to reflect Dr. Woolcock's priorities during her long, prolific career. The award is intended for all areas of research on obstructive airway disease. It is further intended as recognition for overall accomplishment and future promise by a junior investigator. Nomination of diverse candidates is encouraged.
The award consists of a certificate and an honorarium, which will be presented at the ATS International Conference. RSF gratefully acknowledges GlaxoSmithKline and the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand for their support of this award.
Criteria
- Junior investigator at the rank of postdoctoral or medical fellow, assistant professor or equivalent
- Normally RSF Assembly membership, but suitable candidates from other ATS Assemblies will be considered
- More than one first-authored paper in a well-respected journal
- Early career accomplishments and future promise
- Research efforts in broad area of obstructive airway disease, which may include work at the basic, clinical, epidemiological or other levels
- Nominee’s current curriculum vitae including a list of nominee’s publications
- Nominator’s letter of recommendation
Nomination letter should describe nominee's
- Research contributions in broad area of obstructive airway disease
- Independence or future potential for independence
- Involvement in ATS, including any involvement in RSF Assembly
- Service to the broader scientific or medical community, if applicable
- Mentorship or teaching activities