Congratulations Dr. Margaret Simo- nian (MPhil, PhD) on being the re- cipient of the 2025 Global Australian Award being recognised for her impact in health and life sciences. Dr Simonian’s journey is extraor- dinary. Born in Iraq to Armenian par- ents, she relocated to Australia during the Iraq War, arriving as a child on her own. Knowing only one person in Australia with whom she stayed for her first month, she demonstrated remark- able resilience, tenacity and courage in building a future in a new country, culture and language. Now, a research Scientist at UCLA, Dr. Simonian earned her doctorate in Advanced Medicine from the Austra- lian School of Advanced Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Macqua- rie University, Sydney, Australia. Dr. Simonian has served as a Re- search Scientist at Macquarie Univer- sity and later as a Senior Research Fel- low in the Department of Neurology at Harbor–UCLA Medical Center. She has made significant contributions to both research and academic teaching throughout her career. Her research focuses on the appli- cation of proteomics, molecular biol- ogy and radioproteomics in biomarker discovery, as well as in advancing drug development and therapeutic strategies for diseases including brain arteriove- nous malformations (AVMs), brain tu- mours, and liver and prostate cancers. Notably, Dr. Simonian’s pioneer- ing work on brain AVMs, which began at Macquarie University and continued at UCLA, was the first worldwide to employ proteomics to identify pro- tein targets for vascular and molecular therapies following radiosurgery. This groundbreaking research has resulted in numerous publications and contin- ues today at Macquarie University. Her proteomics research on hepatocel- lular carcinoma (HCC) is also among the few studies conducted at an inter- national scale. Dr. Margaret Simonian exempli- fies the power of science, resilience and global contribution. Through pio- neering research, international col- laboration and a deep commitment to advancing medical knowledge, she has helped open new frontiers in the treat- ment of complex and life-threatening diseases. Her journey, from arriving in Aus- tralia alone as a child to becoming a globally respected research scientist, reflects the very best of Australian op- portunity and determination. Congrat- ulations Margaret!