Sir Graham “Mont” Liggins,
CBE FRS FRSNZ
(1926 – 2010)
New Zealand Physician Scientist
The PSANZ-PRS Mont Liggins Early Career Award was established in partnership with the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) to recognize an invited Early Research Career Speaker at the PSANZ Annual Congress, which will enable them to attend the following PRS meeting.
PRS shares many aims of PSANZ: to foster multidisciplinary scientific interchange in the field of perinatology and developmental biology, and to encourage early research careers.
Origins of the award
The PRS-PSANZ Early Career Award was created in 2014 and is named after one of New Zealand’s most eminent medical scientists, the late Professor Sir Graham “Mont” Liggins. Mont Liggins became internationally renowned in 1960s and 1970s for his pioneering research on the fetus and newborns, and for his clinical innovations based on fundamental biomedical research. His accomplishments increased the survival of sick and preterm babies.
Liggins attended early PRS annual meetings. In 1985, the year PRS established the first of its awards – the Liley Lecture, which was named to honor a fellow New Zealand native – he was the inaugural recipient. The Mont Liggins Award was established nearly 40 years later.
Mont Liggins has been a source of inspiration to the founding scientists at the Liggins Institute as they continue the innovative traditions he set for New Zealand medical science.
Criteria
- The award will be made to the best oral presentation at the PSANZ Congress by an eligible presenter.
- Presentations will be judged on the basis of scientific merit, on clarity and excellence of the presentation and on ability to answer questions from the audience.
- If a PRS member is present at the PSANZ Congress, then a PRS member will form part of the judging panel with the remaining judges selected by the Local Organizing Committee in consultation with the PSANZ executive.
- https://www.psanz.com.au
Eligibility
- Awarded PhD / MD within the last 5 years, or more.
- Received professional vocational qualification within the past 5 years and is enrolled in an MD / PhD.
- Research is aligned with the disciplines of Neonatology, Basic Science or Obstetrics (note that the awardee does not need to be from one of these disciplines, but the research presented must align with one of these disciplines).
- Has not received the PSANZ-PRS Mont Liggins Early Career Award previously.
- Commitment to attend the PRS meeting in the September following the PSANZ Congress at which the award is won.
- Commitment to provide feedback to PSANZ in the form of a newsletter article about the research and the award.
The winner of the PSANZ-PRS Mont Liggins Early Career Award is supported by grants from PRS and PSANZ.
CURRENT PRS-PSANZ MONT LIGGINS EARLY CAREER AWARD RECIPIENT
Emily Whalen, MD-PhD Candidate
2025 PRS-PSANZ Mont Liggins Early Career Award recipient Emily Whalen is in her final year as a MD-PhD student at Monash University in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Melbourne, Australia.
Emily received the award at the 2025 Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) Congress in April 2025 for her oral presentation, “Investigating the Maternal-Fetal Transfer of Sulforpaphane”. Her research focuses on a potential novel therapeutic for preeclampsia of sulforaphane, a naturally-derived compound found in young broccoli sprouts.
As the winner of the award, she received a travel stipend to attend and speak at the September 2025 PRS meeting in Colorado Springs, CO.
Past Award Recipients
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Lindsay Zhou, MBBS, FRACP |
| 2019 | Tayla Penny, PhD Candidate |
| 2018 | Aidan James Kashyap, MBBS/PhD Student |
| 2017 | Teresa MacDonald |
| 2016 | Dr. Stacey Ellery, PhD |
| 2015 | Elisha Josev |