New appointment: Welcome Professor Jennifer Wilkinson-Berka

World authority on pre-clinical studies of diabetic retinopathy named new Head of Anatomy and Neuroscience.

Professor Jennifer Wilkinson-Berka will be the next Professor and Head of the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience in the School of Biomedical Sciences.

The University alumna will finish her current position as Professor of Immunology at Monash University before beginning this new appointment in May 2019.

After completing her PhD at Melbourne under Professor Diane Alcorn, the former Head of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Professor Wilkinson-Berka has become a world authority on pre-clinical studies of diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity.

She has a background in the renin-angiotensin system and oxidative stress in retinopathy, and is also focused on understanding the contribution of the adaptive immune system to retinal disease.

Professor Wilkinson-Berka has a growing interest in age-related macular degeneration and her work has been supported through several fellowships and numerous competitive grants.

With a commitment to translating research into better patient outcomes, Professor Wilkinson-Berka works closely with clinicians to achieve this.

Author of more than 110 peer-reviewed manuscripts, Professor Wilkinson-Berka is a member of the Editorial Boards of Experimental Eye Research and Current Eye Research.

She has also presented and chaired sessions at numerous international conferences and is an annual reviewer for 10 local and international granting bodies.

With a strong track record in commercialisation, the Professor has established her own research company and collaborations with international Pharma and national Biotech.

Professor Gary Hime will continue as Head of Department until May and we thank him for undertaking this role during the selection period.