Anita Castan and Bionics Institute researcher Dr Oscar Murphy both went to the same university 34 years apart. Their degrees took them on different journeys, but they share a common goal: the determination to make the world a better place.
Anita set up a philanthropic foundation in 2022, and says she supports upcoming scientists because she believes in the power of research to make a meaningful difference in the community.
Oscar’s PhD focused on investigating how brain stimulation can be used to treat depression. He then joined the Bionics Institute in 2022 working in the team led by Professor Kate Hoy, which is running a world-first clinical trial of personalised Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a potential non-invasive treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
When Anita met Oscar in 2025, she could see how passionate he was about his work and she was fascinated by the technology.
I have seen first-hand how devastating Alzheimer’s is, not just for the person with the condition but also for their loved ones, and I was keen to support Oscar in his research. It seems that the current treatments don’t work and if TMS could give people with Alzheimer’s their memory back, that would be wonderful. Anita Castan
Oscar was ‘blown away’ when Anita said she wanted to support his research. He said: “I have spent countless hours writing grant applications that have less than 1 in 10 chance of success and it’s very disheartening to get constant knock backs. I just want to do research to improve quality of life for people and Anita’s gift allows me to do just that. I’m incredibly proud to hold the title of: Anita Castan Foundation Fellow.“
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs says the link between Anita and Oscar is very special. “Anita wants to make the world a better place and Oscar is working everyday to make the world a better place for people Alzheimer’s – you couldn’t ask for a better partnership to come out of a Monash University education.“
