Brain Cancer Australia is delighted to welcome Josie Downey, General Manager and Managing Director, Merck Healthcare, Australia and New Zealand, to its Board of Directors.
Josie brings more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors—and a personal drive to accelerate progress in brain cancer, after losing her sister-in-law, Julie, to the disease in 2019.
“What really stood out to me about Brain Cancer Australia was the clarity of the strategy—the alignment of research, patient care, data and infrastructure—and the calibre of the people involved. The approach is patient-focused, it’s collaborative, and it’s built to deliver real impact. I can’t wait to get started.”
Josie’s career began as a junior research scientist and evolved into senior leadership roles at global companies including MSD and Merck, and as a board member of Medicines Australia. She has led large-scale commercial operations, launched a breakthrough immuno-oncology therapy, and worked across the full spectrum of drug development—from early-phase trials to market access and reimbursement.
She learnt about the complexities of brain cancer while leading the commercial strategy for a treatment for glioblastoma – the most aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer. Then the unthinkable happened - her sister-in-law was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Josie spent countless hours reviewing emerging research and searching for other treatments—only to discover how limited the choices were. Julie passed away just 20 months after her diagnosis, before meeting any of her five grandchildren.
Now, Josie is drawing on her experience and expertise to support Brain Cancer Australia in delivering three national research infrastructure platforms—a world-class brain cancer registry, a platform enabling registry trials and faster patient enrolment, and a biobanking and organoid initiative.
Josie was impressed by Brain Cancer Australia’s focus on systematising what matters. “If we can simplify how data and tissue are collected and used, we reduce cost, increase efficiency, and speed up research,” she says.
She believes the coordinated, collaborative approach is exactly what’s needed to drive innovation. “The three platforms don’t just support local research—they position Australia to attract more global, pharma-sponsored trials,” she says.
"Australia delivers high-quality clinical trials, so if we strengthen the ecosystem with the right infrastructure, we’ll bring more trials here, and patients will have access to potential new treatments—and that’s hope.”
