Fleur Tynan began her career in biochemistry as an Honours student, studying under the supervision of Professor Jamie Rossjohn at Monash University, Melbourne. There she combined structural and biophysical techniques to examine the unusual domain architecture of TnpX, a DNA recombinase from an uncharacterised group of large serine recombinases.

Following this work, Fleur moved on to examine the structure of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), a key autoantigen involved in multiple sclerosis. Fleur compared the structure of MOG with similar and related proteins to further understand the relationship between MOG and the breakdown of immunotolerance which is observed in multiple sclerosis. It was during this work that Fleur decided to pursue a career using the powerful technique of crystallography.

Fleur is currently in California, USA, undertaking a postdoctoral position at Stanford with a CJ Martin Fellowship and will complete this in 2012.

Fleur was unable to receive the award in person during the 2008 Australian Synchrotron Users Meeting held in Melbourne in December, 2008. Professor Jamie Rossjohn, whom she studied under at Monash University, accepted the medal on her behalf.

The Australian Synchrotron Thesis Medal is awarded by the Australian Synchrotron, continuing a tradition established by the Australian Synchrotron Research Program (ASRP).

This medal is awarded to the PhD student who is judged to have completed the most outstanding thesis under the auspices of an Australian or New Zealand University using and acknowledging a synchrotron facility anywhere in the world. The eligibility alternates each year between PhDs completed in the life sciences and those in the physical/chemical sciences.