The RPH Research Foundation created this new opportunity to enable one researcher per calendar year to attend the innovative The Naked Scientists Program based at the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) in Madingley Hall, University of Cambridge, UK.

The Program is internationally recognised for offering a unique training environment for passionate researchers who are willing to develop skills as communicators.

Its aim is to encourage Early and Mid-Career Researchers to use the media and other creative approaches to engage and inform the public about their research projects. Creating a podcast for The Naked Scientists’ award-winning, globally-acclaimed radio show is just one of the ways the recipients learn how to message their work to a wide audience. 

The Internship Award requires an 8-week commitment and is valued at approximately $15,000 AUD and is inclusive of return economy flights between Perth, Australia and London, UK and travel insurance. 

Dr Bondonno, who is currently undertaking a prestigious National Health and Medical Research Council Fellowship, will travel to Cambridge to immerse herself in the program in March-April 2020.

She is part of a world-class team of researchers from Edith Cowan University and The University of Western Australia that is exploring how plant foods that are rich in flavonoids (previously called antioxidants) can be beneficial for heart health.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia,” Dr Bondonno said.

“My research focus is to explore how flavonoid breakdown affects improvements in heart health. I hope to include recommendations to increase flavonoid intake into dietary guidelines as a way of reducing heart disease in Australia.”