The PhD, the Popcorn and the People’s Choice

Popcorn, microwaves and cancer research helped AIBN PhD scholar Firasti Sumadi win over the crowd at UQ’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Final.

In front of almost 300 people, she turned her complex research in nanomedicine into a clear, engaging and memorable presentation that the audience loved, earning her the 2025 People’s Choice Award.

“Sharing my research in nanomedicine in just three minutes felt… honestly longer than my whole PhD journey,” she laughs.

“But what mattered most was not the technical details of the research. It was a way to connect with people and show why our work matters beyond the lab.

“Winning People’s Choice reinforced how important it is to share knowledge and make research accessible to everyone.”

To secure the win, Firasti rehearsed dozens of times and used feedback from friends and colleagues to refine what to include, how to deliver it, and how to keep an audience engaged.

“It can be a real challenge to turn science into something anyone can understand, but it is so special to me that so many people now know what I do and why it matters.

“The skills I have learned through the 3MT experience are essential for my future, especially when applying for grants where not everyone in the room will have a science background.”

Behind her performance is a deeply personal motivation. After growing up in Indonesia, Firasti studied pharmacy before moving into biotechnology, where her mum’s cancer journey drove her research focus.

“I’ve seen first-hand how invasive and painful cancer therapies and diagnostics can be, which is why I’m trying to find a pain-free solution,” she explains.

“We know cancer treatment needs to start as early as possible, so I thought, how great would it be if we could treat it while we are diagnosing it?”

Now working under the supervision of AIBN Group Leader Dr Run Zhang, Firasti is exploring ultrasound-triggered sound waves to attack cancer cells.

“My research focuses on smart nanoparticles called layered double hydroxides,” she explains.

“They can highlight tumours during scans and, when activated by sound waves, trigger a precise chemical burst – like the pop of popcorn – inside the cancer cells.”

While just over halfway through her PhD, Firasti said the feedback she received on the day gave her a powerful drive to finish.

“The most important thing I felt that day was that so many people finally understood my research. It was really nice to get feedback like, ‘Oh, finally, I know what you are doing.’ Even my family, who saw the video, now understand.”

“Some friends told me, ‘I didn’t know cancer can be killed without chemotherapy drugs. I really hope this will work.’ That kind of feedback gave me energy to keep going. It made me think, okay, I need to do this, and I hope to reach a clinical trial.”

Set to finish her PhD in December 2026, Firasti hopes her research – like her 3MT popcorn metaphor – will take something complex and make it simple, meaningful and accessible for everyone.

She knows she’ll be relying on the same supportive community to help her reach the finish line.

“I couldn’t have done 3MT without my supervisors, my lab mates, the AIBN community, and friends cheering me on. Having that kind of support makes such a difference in the PhD journey. I’m really grateful to be part of such a collaborative environment.”