The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS) is proud to announce the appointment of Professor Trevor Lithgow as the new Centre Director and Professor Jennifer (Jen) Flegg as the new Deputy Director.

Together, Trevor and Jen bring a powerful combination of expertise that reflects MACSYS’s multidisciplinary mission: to integrate mathematics, statistics, physics, and biology in transforming how scientists understand the fundamental unit of life—the cell.

“My background is in the molecular biology of yeast and bacterial cells, with much of my lab’s work best described as quantitative biology,” said Trevor. “Jennifer’s expertise in applied mathematics and her extraordinary talent in mathematical biology provide a perfect complement to the MACSYS directorate. Together, we cover a spectrum of the endeavour directed toward whole-cell modelling.”

Jen echoed the excitement about the Centre’s collaborative vision.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to have mathematics inform biological experiments—and vice versa,” she said. “Researchers from different disciplines need a shared language to collaborate effectively. MACSYS is uniquely positioned to meet this challenge and bridge that gap.”

As Director, Trevor is focused on building the organisational and support structures needed to sustain MACSYS’ ambitious research agenda.

“An ARC Centre of Excellence is an extraordinary opportunity to reshape the scientific landscape in Australia. By working across universities and disciplines, we’re uniquely positioned to tackle the challenges of whole-cell modelling with a breadth and depth of expertise that few institutions can match.”

Jen is an applied mathematician in the School of Mathematics at the University of Melbourne and an internationally recognised leader in mathematical biology. Trevor, from Monash University, is one of the country’s foremost molecular cell biologists, known for his pioneering use of yeast and bacteria to explore the complexities of cellular life.

Despite their different disciplinary backgrounds, both leaders share a reflective leadership style and a deep confidence in the MACSYS research community.

“I fully believe in each one of our research teams—each expert in their domain and eager to engage in cross-disciplinary projects,” said Trevor.

He also shared a quote from a mentor that continues to inspire his scientific approach:

“The best science is to discover something we didn’t know we didn’t know.”

“MACSYS strikes a chord with me because that’s exactly what we’re forging toward—uncovering the unknowns and experimenting our way toward new understanding,” he added.

With two of Australia’s top scientists at the helm, MACSYS is poised to lead a new era of discovery in whole-cell modelling and interdisciplinary science.