2026 Selby Research Awards
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The Selby Research Awards are granted annually by both the The University of Melbourne and The University of Sydney. The award is to assist an outstanding academic establish his or her research career. The Foundation congratulates:
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Dr Helena Wang
ARC DECRA Senior Fellow, Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Melbourne
Awarded on 20/05/2026Bio
Dr Helena Wang is a Senior Lecturer and ARC-DECRA Fellow in the Department of ChemicalEngineering at the University of Melbourne, where she leads the Renewable Resource &Sustainability (R 2 S) Group, focusing on sustainable solutions for battery recycling, renewableenergy, and circular economy technologies. She also serves as a Committee Member of theNational Committee for Chemistry at the Australian Academy of Science. Helena completedher PhD at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in 2019 and has held several researchfellowships including DAAD Research Fellowship (Germany), JSPS Fellowship (Japan), AlfredDeakin Research Fellowship, and International Hydrogen Research Fellowship (Singapore).She has received several recognitions such as RACI National Catalyst Award (2024) and theIChemE Nicklin Medal (2025).
Project Title: Sustainable Regeneration Technologies for Next-Generation Battery Materials
Project Synopsis
The rapid growth of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and renewable energy systemsis creating an urgent challenge for sustainable battery waste management. Current recyclingapproaches often rely on energy-intensive processes that destroy valuable battery materialsand reduce their value for reuse. This Selby Research Award will support my research onsustainable regeneration technologies for next-generation battery materials throughinnovative low-energy recycling strategies. The project aims to directly restore batterymaterials while preserving their structure and performance, enabling high-value reuse. Theoutcomes will advance circular battery technologies, reduce waste and carbon emissions,strengthen Australia’s critical minerals and battery recycling capabilities, and support futureclean-energy systems.
Message of Thanks
I would like to sincerely thank the Selby Scientific Foundation for this honour and generoussupport. Receiving this award is truly meaningful to me and represents an importantmilestone in my research journey. Beyond supporting my research activities, it provides avaluable opportunity to expand my international collaborations and support my long-termcareer development. I am also deeply grateful for the Foundation’s continued commitmentto supporting early-career researchers and creating opportunities for innovative research tomake meaningful impact. I greatly appreciate the confidence and trust placed in my work,which encourages me to continue pursuing research that can contribute to scientificadvancement and sustainable solutions. It is a privilege to be recognised alongside manyoutstanding researchers, and I am sincerely thankful for this opportunity.
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Dr Nikki Lee
School of Life and Environmental Sciences
University of Sydney
Awarded on 17/04/2026Project Synopsis
Dietinduced disruption of central appetite regulation plays a critical role in the development of metabolic and skeletal disease across generations, with emerging evidence for strong sexspecific effects. Building on a proven track record in hypothalamic neuropeptide research and robust preliminary data, this research addresses a major gap in understanding how poor maternal and offspring diet contribute to obesity and osteoporosis risk.
The work builds on compelling preliminary findings demonstrating that highfructose exposure during the maternal and/or postnatal period induces sexspecific metabolic and skeletal alterations in offspring. An integrated multiomics approach will be applied to hypothalamic tissue to define the molecular pathways through which fructose exposure disrupts neuropeptide signalling and drives longterm metabolic and skeletal outcomes.
By explicitly examining sexspecific and intergenerational mechanisms, an underrepresented but clinically significant area, the work is expected to deliver highimpact publications and provide a strong platform for future competitive funding. The award will further support research independence by enabling advanced methodologies and strengthening collaborative expertise.
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Dr Cassandra Lee Fleming
School of Chemistry
University of Sydney
Awarded on 17/04/2026Project Synopsis
The selective control and visualisation of intracellular events is a major challenge in modern chemical biology experiments. This Selby Research Award will support our endeavours in the development of unique light-responsive molecular technology that can be utilised to control the structure and function of bio-relevant molecules with high spatiotemporal control and, in turn, address diverse biological questions at cellular and sub-cellular levels. My team are pairing the principles of photo-responsive systems with fluorescence imaging to deliver new: (i) fluorescent probes to capture real-time cellular events and interrogate intracellular environments/structures; and (ii) light-responsive molecular tools to control/manipulate protein activity – adding a new layer of experimental opportunity to accelerate our understanding of underlying cellular process in health and disease.
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