By Wally Sarkeesian
Dr. Margaret Simonian, PhD, received the Global Australian Awards 2025, in the Health and Life Sciences category. This award recognizes Australians who are making an extraordinary impact worldwide. The award was celebrated and presented on December 4th in Los Angeles, followed by an award celebration/presentation in Sydney, Australia, on December 11th
Born in Iraq to Armenian parents, as a young adult Simonian migrated to Australia by herself during the Iraq War. Her resilience, tenacity and courage helped her forge a future in a new country, culture and language.
Margaret, having excelled in her field in Australia, is today recognized as one of the leading experts in the world and has made significant contributions to both research and academic teaching. The objective of her work is to enhance diagnostic accuracy and support personalized treatment strategies for cancer patients undergoing radiological, radiosurgical and other therapies.
A research Scientist at UCLA for many years, Dr Simonian earned her Doctorate in Advanced Medicine from the Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Dr Simonian has served as a Research Scientist at Macquarie University and later as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Neurology at Harbor–UCLA Medical Center.
Margaret, having excelled in her field in Australia, is today recognized as one of the leading experts in the world and has made significant contributions to both research and academic teaching throughout her career. The objective of her work is to enhance diagnostic accuracy and support personalized treatment strategies for cancer patients undergoing radiological, radiosurgical and other therapies. More specifically, Her research focuses on the application of proteomics, molecular biology and radioproteomics in biomarker discovery, as well as in advancing drug development and therapeutic strategies for diseases including brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), brain tumors, and liver and prostate cancers
Notably, Dr Simonian’s pioneering work on brain AVMs, which began at Macquarie University and continued at UCLA, was the first worldwide to employ proteomics to identify protein targets for vascular and molecular therapies following radiosurgery. This groundbreaking research has resulted in numerous publications and continues today at Macquarie University. Her proteomics research on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is also among the few studies conducted at an international scale.
Dr Margaret Simonian exemplifies the power of science, resilience and global contribution. Through pioneering research, international collaboration and a deep commitment to advancing medical knowledge, she has helped open new frontiers in the treatment of complex and life-threatening diseases.
Her journey, from arriving in Australia alone to becoming a globally respected research scientist, reflects the very best of Australian opportunity and determination.
https://globalaustralians.org/media-releases/australians-honoured-for-global-impact-in-2025