Monash University Associate Professor Jane Tiller has been awarded Australia's most prestigious scientific award for a landmark campaign that has banned genetic discrimination in life insurance.
Legal and genomic expert Associate Professor Tiller was last night awarded the University of Sydney Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science, Technology and Engineering for a decade-long effort to ban life insurers from using genetic test results to discriminate against Australians.
The award is one of several categories in the Australian Museum's 2026 Eureka Prizes, an annual recognition of excellence across research and innovation, leadership, science engagement, and school science.
By uniting researchers, clinicians, patient groups and policymakers, Associate Professor Tiller removed a major barrier to potentially life-saving genomic testing.
This creates opportunities to fund programs to expand equitable access to preventive genomic information.
This is the culmination of a decade of advocacy by Associate Professor Tiller, who has worked closely with the government on the reform, including leading a three-year research project that explored stakeholder views to inform the new legislation.
"Genetic testing can save lives by identifying people who are at a very high genetic risk of disease that can be prevented or treated early," Associate Professor Tiller said.
"This includes certain cancers and heart disease.
"With this genetic risk information, people can access greater surveillance, medication, surgical options or other forms of preventive treatment."
Until now, many Australians have been afraid to have genetic testing that could save their lives, because of the potential financial implications of their genetic test results.
Associate Professor Tiller said until this change, life insurers have legally been able to use genetic test results to deny coverage, increase the cost of premiums or place conditions on cover.
"People were making decisions about genetic testing based on insurance fears, not health needs," Associate Professor Tiller said.
"Choosing not to have genetic testing means people could miss out on critical health information and access to early intervention or prevention, which can be life-saving.
"The new legislation will change that, allowing people to have genetic testing without worrying about the implications for their life insurance in future.
"It will enable genetic research and investment into the development of DNA screening programs."
The legislative ban will come into effect next month, increasing public trust in genomics and removing barriers to preventive health.
