Rachael completed a BSc degree at the University of Melbourne, majoring in pathology and biochemistry. Her BSc(Hons) and PhD were undertaken at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in the Department of Cancer and Haematology, under the supervision of Prof Doug Hilton. In 2001, Rachael then began working at the Bionic Ear Institute in the areas of hearing therapeutics, gene therapy and cochlear implants. She remains at the (renamed) Bionics Institute, now as an associate professor and Principal Research Fellow. Her main goal is to develop innovative strategies to improve precision of neural stimulation, including optogenetic-based approaches for the cochlear implant, visual restoration and other neurological conditions of the central and peripheral nervous systems.