Louise E. Purton is an Australian biologist who is Professor of Medicine and head of the Stem Cell Regulation Laboratory at St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne.
[7][8] In 2008 Purton returned to Australia, where she launched the St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research Stem Cell Regulation Unity.
[10] Purton has studied the role of Homeobox A1 (HOXA1) in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a blood cell disease that results in bone marrow failure.
Around 30% of patients with MDS progress to acute myeloid leukaemia, and the only treatment is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
[14] For example, she identified that the National Health and Medical Research Council awarded men 23% more grants ($95 million more funding) than their female counterparts.
[15][16][17] She worked with Jessica Borger to launch a petition calling for a strategic overhaul of the NHMRC funding body.