Prof. Anderson comes to HFSPO with many years of high level experience in research, science policy and management. He joins HFSPO from his previous position as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia, a position he held since June 2006. At the NHMRC he played a crucial role in expanding Australia’s participation in international research collaborations such as the International Cancer Genome Consortium and the Global Alliance for Chronic Disease research and by establishing many bilateral research funding agreements with HFSPO member countries and diverse funding organizations around the world including the Asia-Pacific region. During his tenure at the NHMRC, Prof. Anderson renewed the agency’s peer review process and introduced new mechanisms for supporting emerging research areas. He also established communication and strategic approaches with Australia’s universities and research institutes, established an Australian ethical framework for research misconduct, and successfully managed Australia’s stem cell and embryo experimentation legislation.
Prior to his tenure at the NHMRC, he was Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences at Monash University and Head of the Department of Physiology. His research has focused on renal physiology, including morphometric, endrocrinological, neural and functional aspects and more recently blood flow modelling in collaboration with fluid engineers. He has published over 160 research papers in peer reviewed journals. His previous leadership in basic research includes building a multidisciplinary School of Biomedical Sciences (as its inaugural head) from six previously independent biomedical university departments.