The 2026 iCMLf Rowley Prize
Professor Junia Paz de Melo
The iCMLf is pleased to announce that Professor Junia Vaz de Melo, Professor of Medicine at Adelaide University, Australia, has been awarded the 2026 iCMLf Rowley Prize. The award recognises her lifetime contributions to advancing the biological understanding of CML. Over several decades, Professor Vaz de Melo has made important discoveries towards elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying CML, leading to the translation of these insights into improved strategies for diagnosis and treatment.
Named in honour of Janet Rowley, whose discovery of the Philadelphia chromosome revolutionised leukaemia research, the Rowley Prize celebrates scientists whose work has fundamentally shaped our knowledge of CML biology.
Advancing the molecular understanding of CML
Professor Vaz de Melo’s research has focused on the molecular biology and cellular dynamics of CML and related myeloproliferative disorders. Her work has helped clarify key aspects of CML pathogenesis, including the biological consequences of BCR::ABL signaling, mechanisms of disease progression, and the biology and functional properties of leukemic stem and progenitor cells.
A central theme of her research has been understanding why some patients respond well to therapy while others develop resistance. Her studies have contributed to identifying molecular determinants of response and resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, supporting the development of more personalized approaches to CML treatment.
Through collaborations within the CML research community worldwide, Professor Vaz de Melo has helped bridge laboratory discoveries with clinical insights, strengthening translational research efforts aimed at improving patient outcomes.
“Junia is an exceptionally worthy recipient of the Rowley Prize, due to her substantial contributions that have profoundly improved the understanding of the molecular biology of CML, which hold enduring significance and consequences. She played a pivotal role in the foundational research that led to the first clinical trials for BCR::ABL1 targeted therapy and published one of the earliest studies that illustrated acquired resistance to imatinib in CML cells. This research paved the way to investigations on the mechanisms of such resistance in patients and the development of second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors."
– Professor Susan Branford
A distinguished international career in leukemia research
Professor Vaz de Melo studied medicine in Brazil before pursuing advanced scientific training in the United Kingdom, where she earned her PhD at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, University of London. She later undertook postdoctoral research at Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide, Australia, before returning to London to join the adult leukaemia research group led by Professor John Goldman, one of the pioneers of modern CML research.
Over the course of her career, she has held senior academic positions including Professor of Haematology at Imperial College, London and at the University of Adelaide, and Professor of Molecular Haematology at the Centre for Cancer Biology in Adelaide, where she led research programs investigating the molecular basis of CML.
In these roles she has mentored numerous scientists and clinicians, contributing to the development of the next generation of leukemia researchers, while helping establish Adelaide as one of the world’s leading centres for CML research.
Recognizing a lifetime of scientific contribution
Professor Vaz de Melo’s career reflects the spirit of the iCMLf Rowley Prize – a commitment to fundamental discovery, translational research, and collaboration across the global CML community.
Her work has deepened the understanding of the biological mechanisms that drive CML and has contributed to the scientific foundations that support modern targeted therapies. Through her research, leadership, and mentorship, she has played an important role in advancing the field and improving outcomes for patients living with CML.