Biography

Brain cancer kills more Australian children than any other disease. Despite this, very little research focuses on children’s cancers, and new treatments are desperately needed to improve both survival and quality of life. As a scientist with training in both cancer and neuroscience, Dr Jessica Buck is uniquely suited to tackle the challenges of paediatric brain cancer research.

Jessica is an early career cancer researcher, specialising in finding better treatments for kids with brain cancer. She received her PhD in Oncology in 2019 from the University of Oxford, supported by Charlie Perkins, Chevening, and Oxford Australia scholarships, and was awarded the 2019 Young Australian Achiever of the Year in the UK award for her research, leadership and sporting achievements. Jessica is currently a Forrest Research Fellow based at the Telethon Kids Institute and the University of Western Australia.

As a Kamilaroi woman, Jessica also aims to increase the number of young Aboriginal women working in, studying, and enjoying STEM. She regularly hosts students and interns, and is involved in mentoring through the Telethon Kids Institute as well as the Aurora Project’s High School Program.

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Jessica identifies as aboriginal.