SCS student receives Rhodes Scholarship

Lewis Fry

Congratulations Lewis Fry who has been awarded a New Zealand 2017 Rhodes Scholarship.

A Monash University MBBS final year student, Lewis completed his Bachelor of Medical Science (Hons) in 2015.  

Lewis will use the prestigious scholarship to study a DPhil in Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, with a focus on diseases of the retina.

“Visual loss and blindness have a huge impact on a person’s quality of life and independence and for many people with conditions like macular degeneration or inherited retinal diseases, there are few treatments to restore vision or prevent its loss,” said Lewis.

“My research will focus on our understanding of emerging therapies for these conditions.”

Beyond Oxford, Lewis hopes to pursue further clinical training as an ophthalmologist in addition to working in basic science research.

“As we pursue advancing therapies in medicine I see a huge role for the clinician-scientist who can act as a bridge between scientists, doctors, engineers, patients and the commercial world.”

Lewis said he is very excited to be given this life-changing opportunity.

“This experience will not only provide invaluable skills and challenges, but will continue to shape me as a person. It is humbling to see how other scholars have achieved and contributed in the past, and it is a nervous privilege to follow in their footsteps.”

Lewis acknowledges the many people who have helped guide him on his path.

“SCS was instrumental in giving me a fantastic place to start clinical medicine and I particularly thank Associate Professor Sally Ayoub and the SCS team for creating such a supportive environment, and Professor Michelle Leech for being a role model in how to lead as a teacher, researcher and by the bedside.”

“This opportunity would not be possible had I not been encouraged by lecturers at SCS to take a BMedSc(Hons) year,” said Lewis.