Some Blonde Scientist

Dr Georgia Atkin-Smith

Australian scientist and

passionate science communicator

About me

Some Blonde Scientist I Dr Georgia Atkin-Smith

I am a Cell Biologist at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science working with A/Prof Edwin Hawkins and A/Prof Ivan Poon. By using the latest and greatest scientific technologies, imaging approaches and pre-clinical models, my research aims to to further dissect our understanding of cell death during the progression and treatment of cancer.

I completed my Bachelor of Biotechnology and Cell Biology with first class Honours in 2014 at La Trobe University and followed by a PhD in Biochemistry and Immunology under the supervision of A/Prof Ivan Poon and Prof Mark Hulett at the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science. My PhD project investigated how dying monocytes (key white blood cells of the immune system) undergo a dramatic dance of death to generate small fragments, a process called apoptotic cell disassembly. With the conclusion of my PhD in 2019, my research uncovered key regulators of this process, its role in homeostasis and infectious disease, and developed novel methods we can now use to study the cell death process.

In addition to working at the lab bench, I am a passionate science communicator, advocate of women in STEM and public speaker. I believe all scientists have a responsibility to communicate what we do, and communicate it honestly. To aid the transparency of science and make it more accessible, I frequently partake in outreach opportunities and document my life as a scientist as Some Blonde Scientist on Instagram. The world is what it is today because of science and we need the next generation to know just how life-changing being a scientist can be.

News!

Vic Young Achievers Award Finalist & Aus Biochemist article

SEP-OCT 2020

I was absolutely thrilled to be one of four finalists for the Victorian Young Achievers Award (Leadership Category) for my leadership in research and science communication. Thank you to everyone who voted in the People's Choice Award, tuned into the virtual awards night in Sep and supported my nomination! It was a fantastic event and congratulations to my category winner, Wallace Jin!

Do you ever wonder what your body is made from? What about what your cells are made from? Well, wonder no more! Check out our article published by The Conversation or my interview with ABC radio to find out.

Check out our article here! or my radio interview here!

Stay tuned for more news and thank you for your support,