Melissa Southey

Professor Melissa Southey is Chair of Precision Medicine at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University. She is also Director of Biobanking Victoria and Research Director of the Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium. She holds honorary positions at the University of Melbourne and Cancer Council Victoria.

Research Interests:

• Precision Medicine
• Oncology and Familial Cancer
• Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology
• Genomics and Epigenetics
• Biobanking and Population Health
• Early Cancer Detection and Risk Prediction

Her research focuses on population-based genetic studies of cancer, particularly in families with multiple cases, to inform clinical management and prevention strategies. She has pioneered large-scale epidemiological resources that underpin evidence-based guidelines.

Recent Research Trends: Her recent publications highlight a strong focus on epigenetic aging, DNA methylation biomarkers for cancer prediction, polygenic risk scores, and environmental interactions in cancer etiology. Studies increasingly integrate genetic, epigenetic, and lifestyle factors to improve risk stratification and early detection, especially in breast, bowel, and lung cancers.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Clarivate 2018 Highly Cited Researchers (Top 1% globally)
• Founding Fellow, Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia
• Fellow, Human Genetics Society of Australasia

Advising and Grants: Professor Southey is accepting PhD students and leads multiple large-scale research projects funded by NHMRC, NIH, European Commission, and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Her current grants include studies on polygenic scores in clinical care, prostate cancer outcomes, and breast cancer immunotherapy targets.

Labs and Teams: She leads the Southey Lab (see Southeylab.org) and multidisciplinary teams across Monash University, Monash Health, and international collaborators. Her work involves extensive collaboration through the Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium and Biobanking Victoria initiative.