Research
Acting today with an eye on the future
At Arrow, we are committed not only to supporting patients today but also to improving outcomes for those who will face bone marrow and stem cell transplants in the future. Through funding and collaboration with leading clinicians and researchers, we support innovative research that advances transplant treatments, improves patient care, and deepens understanding of recovery and survivorship. By investing in research today, we are helping to create better treatments, that are safer, kinder and more effective leading to brighter futures for transplant patients and their families.
PhD Scholarships
Our PhD scholarships help develop the next generation of researchers advancing transplant science. We fund PhD candidates focused on improving transplant safety, reducing relapse, and enhancing long-term patient outcomes. This includes research across key areas such as graft-versus-host disease, alternative donor approaches, infectious complications, and long-term survivorship.
Scholarships are now open for applications commencing in 2027.
We are proud to support research that drives innovation and improves outcomes for patients and families across stem cell and bone marrow transplantation.
Katherine Robertson Nurse PhD Scholarship
The Arrow Foundation Katherine Robertson Nursing PhD Scholarship supports the development of future nurse researchers dedicated to improving patient care in bone marrow and stem cell transplantation. This scholarship empowers nursing professionals to undertake advanced research that enhances clinical practice, improves patient outcomes and contributes to the global knowledge base in transplant medicine. By investing in nursing leadership and innovation, we help shape the future of patient-centred transplant care.
Supporting Life – Changing Research
Hawkesbury Canoe Classic
HCC has generously supported our PhD scholarship program over many years, helping fund vital research in bone marrow transplant and stem cell therapy.
Liverpool Catholic Club
The Liverpool Catholic Club provides crucial funding that enables new researchers to pursue life-changing studies in transplantation science.
Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand
In collaboration with HSANZ, we select outstanding PhD candidates who contribute to innovative research and advancements in transplant patient care.
Recently Funded Projects
Katerina Terolli
Thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic community, Arrow is proud to award a PhD scholarship to Katerina Terolli, a researcher at the University of Melbourne. Katerina is undertaking pioneering research that may one day provide safer, more personalised treatment options for people living with germline GATA2 mutations.
Cathy Pendergrast
Cathy Pendergrast is Arrow’s 2025 PhD Scholar, researching Pulmonary Graft-versus-Host Disease—a serious lung complication that can occur after stem cell transplants, particularly in children.
Michael Ashby
Dr Michael Ashby of Alfred Health has been awarded the Arrow HSANZ PhD Scholarship 2024 for his research on preventing relapse of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia following allogeneic stem cell transplant.
A New Frontier in Stem Cell Transplant
A ground breaking Australian research collaboration led by Professors Elizabeth Ng, Andrew Elefanty, and Ed Stanley from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute is bringing us closer to a future where blood stem cells can be created in the lab – an advance that could transform stem cell transplantation.
After more than two decades of work, the team has successfully replicated the process of blood stem cell development, opening the doors to new treatments for patients without suitable donors and the potential to correct genetic blood disorders.
Arrow Foundation is proud to have supported this work through our Hawkesbury Canoe Classic PhD scholars Ritika Saxena, and more recently, Katerina Terolli, who are both part of this pioneering team.
While still progressing towards clinical application, this breakthrough presents a signficant step forward in improving access, outcomes, and future possibilities for transplant patients and their families.
