The Rising Star Award recognises exceptional scientists within the Australasian stem cell community who demonstrate excellence in research, leadership, and advocacy. This annual award, supported by the National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia (NSCFA), celebrates two outstanding individuals who are making significant contributions at the early stages of their research careers.
It is with great pleasure that we announce the recipients of the 2026 ASSCR Rising Star Awards: Dr Chiara Pavan from The Florey Institute of Neuroscience & Dr Sebastian Bass-Stringer from St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research.
These prestigious awards recognise their outstanding contributions to stem cell research, leadership, and contributions to our stem cell community.
Dr Chiara Pavan and Dr Sebastian Bass-Stringer are both actively contributing advocates within their local stem cell communities and beyond. Their work is poised to make a lasting impact, and they both exemplify the values we all hope to inspire in our next generation of scientific leaders. The future of stem cell medicine is bright thanks to the groundbreaking contributions of our Rising Stars!
We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to the National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia (NSCFA) for their generous support and funding, which enable us to continue fostering the development of our early-career scientists.
Please join us in congratulating Dr Chiara Pavan and Dr Sebastian Bass-Stringer on this well-deserved accolade. We look forward to their continued success.
Announcement of awards
The Rising Star Award recipients will be announced at the annual ASSCR meeting and the ASSCR AGM.
Dr Sebastian Bass-Stringer is a Senior Research Officer at St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research (SVI), where he develops human stem cell-derived models of cardiovascular disease to advance therapeutic discovery. His research focuses on developing cardiac microtissues to model biological ageing and patient-specific diseases, including Friedreich’s ataxia-associated cardiomyopathy. By recreating key features of human cardiac disease, he aims to improve preclinical drug testing and identify promising therapies, with a particular interest in developing treatments targeting cellular senescence.
Sebastian completed his PhD at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, where he developed novel gene therapies for heart failure and evaluated their safety and efficacy in preclinical models, including large animals. He subsequently joined the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, where he developed CRISPR-based genetic tools to support the preclinical development and translation of an iPSC-derived cardiac cell therapy. Across his research career, he has authored 13 scientific publications, including eight as first or co-first author, spanning cardiac disease, gene therapy, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.
Sebastian has received several competitive research awards, including a 2025 SVI Rising Star Award and a 2026 Victorian Cardiovascular Research Network Career Development Grant. He was also runner-up for the Victorian Cardiovascular Research Network’s inaugural Best Published Paper Award in 2025. His research reflects a commitment to advancing human stem cell-based disease modelling and translating fundamental scientific discoveries into more effective therapies for cardiovascular disease.
Key Details for the ASSCR Rising Star
The Rising Star Award acknowledges emerging leaders whose work is advancing the field and shaping the future of stem cell science in Australasia and beyond.
Awardees receive $5,500 in prize funding, a commemorative plaque, and public recognition through the ASSCR website and social channels. The funding is intended to support career development activities within 12 months, accompanied by a brief report outlining how the award has contributed to professional growth.
Applicants must be current ASSCR members with at least 12 months of membership at the time of assessment. Applications are limited to three pages and should highlight achievements in research, leadership, and advocacy within the stem cell research community.
For more information, please contact us ASSCRsubmissions@gmail.com
Transparency matters to us, so here’s a snapshot of this year’s Rising Star applications. We received a strong submission pool representing several leading research institutes, with the majority of applicants based in Victoria and others joining from interstate. Applications were assessed by an independent panel drawn from across Australia and New Zealand, with conflicts of interest carefully managed. To everyone who applied: thank you. We encourage all applicants to apply again next year, and we’d love to see an even broader range of emerging researchers put their hands up. Please sign up here to know when awards and opportunities open again!
About ASSCR
Join ASSCR to gain exclusive access to networking opportunities with leading international and national stem-cell researchers, reduced registration fees for conferences, financial support for students, and regular updates on the latest developments in stem-cell research.
The ASSCR acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
The ASSCR supports stem cell research and encourages scientific exchange, particularly through our annual conference, in order to build an active stem cell research community in Australia and New Zealand.
We also aim to provide all interested parties with the opportunity to access information related to scientific, medical and ethical advances in the broad field of stem cell research.
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