Media releases

Leading Immunologist Misty Jenkins AO will be in Ballarat next week to present this year’s Sir Albert Coates Oration at Federation University Australia.

The oration, which is delivered in association with the Albert Coates Memorial Trust, is an annual event which commemorates the life and achievements of one of Ballarat’s most revered public figures, Sir Albert Ernest Coates, who was born in 1895 at Mt Pleasant and went on to become one of Australia's top surgeons and a pioneer in the field of neurosurgery.

The topic for the 2023 Sir Albert Coates Oration is "The power of the immune system: From humble beginnings to personalised approaches to treating cancer" which will be delivered by Associate Professor Misty Jenkins who is the Head of the Brain Cancer Immunotherapy Laboratory at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

Associate Professor Jenkins has a PhD in Immunology from The University of Melbourne, followed by postdoctoral positions at The Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. 

In addition to her research career, Associate Professor Jenkins is experienced in governance and strategy as a company Director, co-chairs a Federal Health Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and is a passionate advocate for gender equity and Indigenous Health and education.

The Sir Albert Coates Oration is free to the public and will take place on Thursday 9 November 2023 from 6:00pm at the Geoffrey Blainey Auditorium at Federation’s Mt Helen Campus. Tickets are available on the Federation University website: www.federation.edu.au/albertcoatesoration.

Quote attributable to Federation University Australia Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Duncan Bentley

“It is our pleasure to welcome Associate Professor Misty Jenkins AO to Federation’s Mt Helen campus in Ballarat for this year’s Sir Albert Coates Oration. We are privileged to have someone with Misty’s experience and knowledge in Immunology share their insight and reveal the latest developments in immune-targeted therapies. I warmly invite the Ballarat community to attend this event and hear from one of Australia’s leading voices on medical research.”