Michael Kassiou (BSc, PhD, FRACI, FAFMC, FRSC, FSRS) is Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Academic Director, Centre for Drug Discovery Innovation at the University of Sydney. His research program focuses on discovering small molecules for the study and treatment of brain disorders, and he has authored more than 340 peer-reviewed publications. His innovations have resulted in several first-in-human studies and the formation of numerous spin-off companies, notably Kinoxis Therapeutics.

He has been elected Fellow of several international societies, including the Asian Federation of Medicinal Chemistry, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Society of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences.

Wicky West (GAICD, BCom, MProfAcc) leads Business and Research Development at the University of Sydney, where she oversees strategic collaborations to secure large-scale government funding and drive impactful industry engagement. With over 15 years’ experience in the higher education sector, she has a strong track record of enabling high-value research partnerships and delivering meaningful funding outcomes.

Wicky works closely with researchers and industry partners to align research strengths with national priorities and commercial opportunities. Her efforts contribute to securing millions in funding annually and advancing the University’s reputation as a leader in research excellence, translation, and collaboration.

Bridgette Semple (BBioMedSci (Hons), PhD) is a Managing Consultant at Consulting & Implementation Services (CIS).  With over 15 years as an academic neuroscientist, Bridgette seamlessly integrates her strategic planning and project management expertise to help research and industry partners develop, fund, and implement large-scale collaborative projects, especially in health and medical research.

CIS is Australia's dominant consultancy for innovation projects, with a track record of helping clients secure nearly $1.5 billion in funding including supporting 17 of the past 20 successful CRC bids.