Recipient of the 2026 AAPEC Award at the SOMANZ ASM

Congratulations to Dr Vanessa Heron!

AAPEC is delighted to congratulate Dr Vanessa Heron, recipient of the AAPEC Award at the Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (SOMANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting in Brisbane 16-18 October 2026.

Dr Heron is a Nephrologist and Obstetric Medicine Physician at Austin Health and Mercy Hospital for Women. She is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Melbourne, examining urinary biomarkers in preeclampsia. Her award-winning research, titled Downregulation of miR-203a-3p in Urinary Extracellular Vesicles in Preeclampsia, explores how tiny particles found in urine may provide important clues about the effects of preeclampsia on kidney health.

The study identified lower levels of a particular molecule, miR-203a-3p, in women with preeclampsia compared with women who had pregnancies without preeclampsia. This molecule is involved in biological processes associated with blood vessel function, inflammation and kidney health.

These findings provide new insights into the changes that occur in the kidneys during preeclampsia and may help guide future research into non-invasive urine tests to identify kidney changes. While further investigation is needed, this research offers an exciting opportunity to improve our understanding of preeclampsia and its impact on women’s health. AAPEC is proud to support research that advances our understanding of preeclampsia and contributes to better outcomes for women and their families.

We congratulate Vanessa on this well-deserved recognition and wish her every success with her ongoing PhD research.