PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR
Professor Stephen MacMahon
Stephen MacMahon is Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Sydney and Principal Director of The George Institute for Global Health. He is an international authority on the causes, prevention and treatment of common cardiovascular diseases. His special interest is the management of chronic and complex conditions in resource-poor settings, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. As Principal Director of The George Institute, Professor MacMahon is responsible for more than 300 staff at Institute research facilities in Australia, China, India and the UK. From these sites, research programs in cardiology, nephrology, neurology, musculoskeletal medicine, injury prevention and intensive care are coordinated across more than 40 countries worldwide.
In addition to his University and Institute appointments, Professor MacMahon holds several external appointments, including those as Chairman of the Scientific Board of the UK BioBank and Chairman of the Academic Alliance for Clinical Trials.
He has published several hundred scientific papers and delivered many invited lectures. For his work in the field of cardiovascular disease, he has received numerous awards, fellowships and honours. In 2008, he received the Australian Government's highest award for achievement in medical research.
PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR
Professor Robyn Norton
Robyn is Professor of Public Health and Associate Dean (Global Health) in the University of Sydney Medical School. She is an international authority on injury and has helped develop a major research program in intensive care at the Institute. Robyn was founder and is Chair Emeritus of the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network - an initiative supported by the Global Forum for Health Research, the World Health Organization and the World Bank - which has supported the development of several centres of research excellence in low-income countries.
She holds an Honorary Professorship at Peking University Health Science Centre, and is an Honorary Consultant Epidemiologist at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Tim Regan - BEc, FCA, FAPI, MAICD
Tim is the current COO & CFO of the George Institute for Global Health. He has extensive experience in the construction, property and services industries, including as former COO of top 50 ASX-listed Mirvac Group, CEO of TJS Services, Commercial Manager for the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Tim is currently a Non-Executive Director of ASX-listed Thomas & Coffey, current President of Financial Executives International in Australia and former Vice-Chair of the Australian Theatre for Young People. He holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney and is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants and Australian Property Institute.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE GEORGE INSTITUTE INDIA / CHIEF SCIENTIST
Professor Anushka Patel
Anushka is a Professor in the Sydney Medical School and a cardiologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. She completed her undergraduate medical training at the University of Queensland, and her training in cardiology (leading to Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Physicians) in Sydney. She has a Master of Science degree in Epidemiology from Harvard University and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Sydney. Anushka also currently holds an Australian National Health & Medical Research Council Senior Research Fellowship.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE GEORGE INSTITUTE CHINA
Professor WU Yangfeng
Yangfeng is the Executive Director of the Peking University Clinical Research Institute and Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Peking University School of Public Health. Yangfeng is a leading authority on cardiovascular disease in China and has previously held senior positions at the Cardiovascular Institute, Fu Wai Hospital, and the WHO Collaboration Center in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Control and Research in Beijing.
ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE GEORGE INSTITUTE AUSTRALIA/ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GEORGE CLINICAL
Associate Professor Vlado Perkovic
Associate Professor Vlado Perkovic is Executive Director of George Clinical, the clinical trials arm of The George Institute. He is a Staff Specialist in Nephrology at the Royal North Shore Hospital, and Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. His major research interest is understanding both the cardiovascular risk associated with CKD, and the impact of interventions that might mitigate this risk. He is deputy chair of the Scientific Committee of the Australasian Kidney Trials Network. Vlado also has an active role in The George Institute Renal and Metabolic Division.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE GEORGE FOUNDATION
Susan Murray
With a background in education and specialty in health promotion Sue has been a passionate advocate for improving the health and well being of the community throughout her career. She moved from education to the community sector to work with the NSW Cancer Council where she held roles in education, media and communications and supported the growth of the fundraising program. Sue worked with the AMA (NSW) and Leukaemia (NSW) to assist in establishing their foundations and moved to a leadership role with the National Breast Cancer Foundation in 2000.
During the 10 years Sue led the NBCF she positioned the organization as one of the most highly recognized organizations in the community sector. This brought significant growth in the number of companies and individuals choosing to support breast cancer research. It also enabled the NBCF to publish Australia’s first ever National Action Plan for Breast Cancer Research and Funding which has changed the way breast cancer research is supported and managed in Australia.
Sue is looking to build on her experience to create the George Foundation for Global Health which will support The George Institute’s mission of Improving the health of millions of people worldwide. This involves raising funds to support research into the prevention of chronic disease and injury particularly in disadvantaged populations across Australia, India, China and the United Kingdom.
Sue is a director of Research Australia and The Macquarie Community College and a member of the Sydney advisory committee for the Centre for Social Impact.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GEORGE PARTNERS
Anne-Marie Feyer
Anne-Marie is a former partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and a senior member of the National Health Practice for PwC in Australia and globally. Her 25 years in public health research and policy, has spanned both the academic and commercial sectors at senior levels. Under her leadership the health practice at PwC has achieved preferred provider status for key state and federal health authorities.
Anne-Marie’s range of national leadership roles in the policy and research arenas make her ideally placed to leverage the vital role of research in the delivery of healthcare excellence.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GEORGE VENTURES
Anthony Rodgers
Anthony Rodgers is a Professor of Global Health at The George Institute. After graduating in medicine in the United Kingdom he trained in epidemiology and public health in New Zealand. He was the Principal Author of the 2002 World Health Report, the main annual publication for WHO. Since 2003 he has led a public-private partnership developing an affordable four-in-one cardiovascular combination pill (‘polypill’), with a clinical trial program in economically developed and developing countries. His current work aims to foster similar developments designed to be ‘fit for purpose’ in low income settings.
SENIOR DIRECTOR
Professor John Chalmers AC
John is Head of the Professorial Unit at The George Institute and Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Sydney and Flinders University. He is a world leader in research on the causes and treatment of high blood pressure. He has also served in many senior academic roles in Australia and internationally. His work has been recognised through admission to the Australian Academy of Science, and awarding of the Wellcome Medal, the Volhard Medal of the International Society of Hypertension, and the Zanchetti Award of the European Society of Hypertension. He was appointed a Companion in the order of Australia (AC) in 1991 and most recently, he was made an Officer in the French National Order of Merit in 2010, in recognition of his contributions to enhancing Franco Australian relations.
SENIOR DIRECTOR & CHAIR, INJURY, FRAILTY & DISABILITY GLOBAL THEME / DIRECTOR, NEUROLOGICAL & MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION
Professor Craig Anderson
Craig is Professor of Stroke Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience in the Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney and the Institute of Neurosciences at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Having led several major international stroke studies, Craig is widely acknowledged as a leader in his field. He was recently awarded the Royal Prince Alfred Research Medal for Excellence in Research. Craig is a member of several specialist societies, an Editor for the Cochrane Stroke Group, and currently President of the Stroke Society of Australasia. He has published widely on the clinical and epidemiological aspects of stroke, cardiovascular disease and aged care, and is on the Steering Committee for several large-scale research projects.
SENIOR DIRECTOR
Professor Bruce Neal
Bruce is a Professor in the Sydney Medical School and Chair of the Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH). Bruce completed his undergraduate medical training at Bristol University, UK and prior to working at the Institute in 1999, he worked as an epidemiologist at the Clinical Trials Research Unit in Auckland, New Zealand. Bruce is a Fellow of the UK Royal College of Physicians and the American Heart Association. He is also a member of the Executive Council of the High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia and the Council of the International Society of Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.
SENIOR DIRECTOR
Professor Alan Cass
Alan is a Professor in the Sydney Medical School and Director of the Renal and Metabolic Division in The George Institute. He is also the Inaugural Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Australasian Kidney Trials Network and a leading proponent of academic collaboration in clinical research in kidney disease. Alan is particularly passionate about Aboriginal health and works actively with governments to develop strategies to improve access to renal services, and to improve health outcomes for people with kidney disease. Alan is an advocate for rigorous quantitative and qualitative methods in health services research to foster the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies to address the growing burden of complex chronic diseases.
DIRECTOR, INJURY DIVISION
Associate Professor Rebecca Ivers
Rebecca is an Associate Professor in the Sydney Medical School, and directs a research program focused on injury prevention, with a strong focus on prevention of road traffic injury. She has published widely in the field of road traffic injury, and has recently been awarded a NSW Young Tall Poppy Award in Science and an Achievement Award from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia for her road safety research. She is an investigator on studies in a diverse range of areas, including novice drivers, Indigenous road injury, heavy vehicle crashes and motorcycle safety in Australia, as well as projects aimed at preventing injury in China, India and Vietnam.
DIRECTOR, CARDIOVASCULAR DIVISION
Dr Fiona Turnbull
Fiona is a Senior Lecturer in the Sydney Medical School. She completed her undergraduate medical training at the University of Otago and her training in public health medicine (leading to Fellowship of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine) in New Zealand. She has an MPH and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Sydney. Fiona currently holds a National Heart Foundation of Australia Post-Doctoral Fellowship.
DIRECTOR, STATISTICS AND DATA MANAGEMENT
Laurent Billot
Laurent has a master degree in Statistics and Computer Science from the University of South-Brittany (France) and an advanced degree in Public Health and Biostatistics from the University of Paris V. He is an accredited statistician by the Statistical Society of Australia. Prior to joining the George Institute in 2006, Laurent worked at the School of Public Health of the University of Nancy I (France) and at Statistics Collaborative Inc. (USA), a contract research organisation specialised in the design and analysis of biomedical studies. Over the last twelve years, Laurent has been responsible for the design, analysis and reporting of numerous medical studies ranging from health surveys and epidemiological studies to multinational Phase III/IV trials in oncology, critical care and cardiovascular disease.
DIRECTOR, CARDIOVASCULAR DIVISION
Graham Hillis
Graham Hillis is an Associate Professor with the Faculty of Medicine University of Sydney and a Consultant Cardiologist with clinical appointments at Concord Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (honorary), Strathfield Private Hospital and Central Sydney Cardiology. His current post is part funded by a Life Sciences Research Award from the New South Wales Office for Science and Medical Research. His clinical and research interests include the echocardiography, the acute coronary syndromes, cardiac biomarkers and the prediction and management of peri-operative cardiovascular complications in patients undergoing cardiac and major non-cardiac surgery.
DIRECTOR, MUSCULOSKELETAL DIVISION
Professor Chris Maher
Chris is a Professor in the Sydney Medical School. He also holds a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Senior Research Fellowship. Chris leads a program of research focusing on the management of musculoskeletal conditions in primary care and community settings. This research is characterised by innovation, an interdisciplinary approach and an emphasis on simple treatments delivered well. Particularly committed to knowledge translation and health literacy, Chris has worked with local and international colleagues to develop information technologies that deliver the best research evidence to clinicians and health consumers.
DIRECTOR, CRITICAL CARE AND TRAUMA DIVISION
Professor John Myburgh
John is a Professor of Medicine at The University of New South Wales, an Honorary Adjunct Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, and Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney. He is lead clinician for research and Senior Staff Specialist in the Department of Intensive Care Medicine at the St George Hospital, Sydney. He is a foundation member and current Chairman of the Clinical Trials Group of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society. He is President of the College of Intensive Care Medicine.
DIRECTOR, RESEARCH SERVICES
Peter Dolnik
Peter Dolnik is the Director of Research Services at The George Institute. His career has spanned both the academic and research management sectors. For a number of years, he had taught philosophy at various universities in Sydney and since 2000 he has worked in the area of research management at senior levels. Key responsibilities associated with his latter role have included research-related compliance work, development of policies on research management as well as pre-award and post-award coordination of research funding.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR, GEORGE PARTNERS
Nina Desai
Nina was most recently the Deputy Director of the George Centre for Healthcare Innovation at the University of Oxford. She has also worked extensively with the UK Government, policy makers and other service providers globally on a range of healthcare delivery projects including the implementation of innovative models for primary care and prevention.
Prior to her work in the UK, Nina was a practicing primary care physician in New York City and has held academic teaching positions at Columbia University Medical Center, New York University Medical Center and Mount Sinai Medical Center.
HEAD, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, THE GEORGE INSTITUTE CHINA
Professor YAN Lijing
HEAD, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT,
THE GEORGE INSTITUTE, INDIA
Dr. Pallab K. Maulik
HEAD-CLINICAL RESEARCH,
GEORGE CLINICAL, INDIA
Dr. Vinodvenkatesh Patil
Vinod a medical graduate from Karnataka University, India with over 8 years of Clinical Research industry experience joined The George Institute as Head-Clinical Research in 2009. Prior to joining The George Institute, India, he has worked as Qualified Person Pharmacovigilance (QPPV), Medical Writer and Managerial roles in the Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research Industry. His clinical trial exposure is across various therapeutic areas and in different service and business environments.
HEAD, INFRASTRUCTURE & RESOURCES
THE GEORGE INSTITUTE, INDIA
A. Sunder Rajan
