Blog

Maria Kavallaris Pays Tribute to Vale Associate Professor Josh McCarroll

Josh McCarroll/ccia.org.au

May 16, 2025, 15:30

Maria Kavallaris Pays Tribute to Vale Associate Professor Josh McCarroll

Maria Kavallaris, Director of the Australian Centre for NanoMedicine and Non-Executive Board Director at National Breast Cancer Foundation, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Vale Associate Professor Josh McCarroll.

The world and the Children’s Cancer Institute has lost a very special human. Associate Professor Joshua (Josh) McCarroll was not only an extraordinary researcher but also a cherished friend and collaborator. He dedicated the majority of his professional life to finding solutions for childhood cancer, driven by his own experience as a childhood cancer survivor.

His pioneering work focused on developing nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems: tiny ‘nano-vehicles’ designed to target cancer cells in childhood solid tumours. His goal was always clear: to improve outcomes for children with cancer by delivering more effective treatments with fewer side effects.

Josh’s scientific journey took him from Australia to the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he mastered the use of RNA interference and nanotechnology to treat human disease. Since joining Children’s Cancer Institute in 2007, he made significant contributions to cancer biology and therapeutic innovation, earning numerous accolades for his groundbreaking research.

But beyond his scientific brilliance, Josh was a great leader – respected for his integrity, humility, and generosity. He was a mentor who inspired those around him, a collaborator who brought people together, and a friend whose warmth and kindness left a lasting impression on everyone he met.

Josh was a truly wonderful friend, and I feel incredibly lucky to have spent the past 18 years working and collaborating with him – sharing ideas, challenges, and a deep commitment to making a difference in childhood cancer research. His passion, perseverance, and unwavering belief in the power of science to change lives inspired me every day. He challenged me to think bigger, to care deeper, and to never lose sight of the children and families at the heart of our work.

My deepest sympathies and love go to Josh’s wife, Professor Phoebe Phillips AM, and his two fur babies, Bo and Bailey.

Josh’s legacy will live on in the lives he touched, the discoveries he made, and the hope he gave to so many. I will deeply miss him. My thoughts go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and the many young lives he worked so passionately to save.”