Maude Phipps

Human genetics, indigenous populations, genomics/precision medicine, health, evolution, microbiomes

Maude E. Phipps is Professor of Human Genetics at the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Monash University Malaysia. She currently undertakes research in human population genetics and health with special focus on addressing the large gaps in scientific knowledge with regards to indigenous communities and populations in South East Asia. A firm believer in research-led teaching, she has woven her research contributions and latest findings into biomedical teaching programmes. Professor Phipps collaborates with local researchers and participates in international projects with co-investigators from the National University of Singapore, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Institute of Genetics Japan, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics India, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, European Bioinformatics Institute UK, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPIEA) Germany, Stanford University, UC Berkeley USA and Cinevestav Mexico.

Professor Phipps has 30 years of academic, research and development experience. Her knowledge and skills were honed from early work on antibiotic resistance in bacteria, doctoral work on the genetics of tumour suppressor genes and demonstrating at the Cambridge University Programme for Industry. She received the CICHE award from The British Council and the Human Genome Fellowship to pursue advanced training in molecular genetics of autoimmunity and computer enabled stem cell transplant matching at the Oxford Transplant Centre and University of Western Australia respectively. She established the first molecular HLA matching laboratory service at University of Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia. She has also held short term visiting professorships/fellowships at Fudan University, UCSF, UC Berkeley, MPIEA and Darwin College.  

Professor Phipps more recent contributions were recognised through the Monash University PVC Awards for Research Excellence, The Great Women of Our Time Award (Science and Technology) and appointment as Asia Pacific expert on the Futureproofing Healthcare Initiative. She has been appointed as a Member of the National Academy of Sciences, USA Committee on Countering Misleading Information. She was a founder member of the Women's Empowerment Network and continues to mentor early career researchers and colleagues in the university and region. 

I mainly teach genetics, biochemistry, medical and research ethics at undergraduate and post graduate levels. Mainly MED 1100/1200, MED 2100/2200, PgDipBiomedSc. and GradRes on a regular basis. I also teach on  specialist courses/programmes that are conducted periodically. 

Women's Empowerment Network (WEN) Monash University collaborates with NGOs such as Seroptimists International on educational projects for underpriviledged communities.

Fund raising and public awareness initiatives to support marginalised Orang Asli communities and nature conservation