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News
New appointment for CERA Deputy Director
CERA Deputy Director and Head of Ophthalmic Neuroscience Professor Peter van Wijngaarden has been appointed Executive Director of The Florey.
Announcing the appointment today – Board Chair of The Florey Martin Adams said Professor van Wijngaarden is an outstanding leader and an experienced clinician researcher who will take The Florey’s work to the world stage.
“On behalf of the Board, I warmly welcome Peter to The Florey.
“As the largest brain research centre in the Southern Hemisphere, The Florey is home to remarkably talented people committed to advancing neuroscience and mental health research.
“Peter is exceptionally well-placed to take The Florey’s impact to the next level.”
Professor van Wijngaarden said he was honored to lead The Florey.
“I am honoured to be joining The Florey as its new Director and excited to be working with scientists who are leading the world in making fundamental discoveries in neuroscience and improving diagnostics and treatments for an impressive range of mental health and brain-related conditions,” Professor van Wijngaarden said.
“The Florey has an incredible reputation and I look forward to building on that impressive legacy,” he said.
Continuing research
Professor van Wijngaarden will begin his new role leading The Florey on 1 August 2024.
He will continue his association with CERA as an Honorary Researcher.
Professor van Wijngaarden’s Ophthalmic Neuroscience team, which is developing novel hyperspectral imaging techniques to detect diseases of the eye and brain, will continue to be based at CERA.
This key research program will be led by Dr Xavier Hadoux and continue the vital research that has been funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, philanthropic trusts and foundations and generous individual donors.
Ophthalmic Neuroscience team: Francis Labrecque, Darvy Dang, Maxime Jannaud, Dr Xavier Hadoux, Professor Peter van Wijngaarden.
Outstanding leadership
Centre for Eye Research Australia Chair Olivia Hilton and Managing Director Professor Keith Martin congratulated Professor van Wijngaarden on his new appointment.
“The appointment recognises Peter’s outstanding leadership across ophthalmology, medical research and public health,” said Ms Hilton.
“His boundless energy, enthusiasm and ability to bring people together have left an immeasurable impact on CERA and the eye health of the Australian community – from his supervision of PhD students and mentorship of early and mid-career researchers, to his work as co-investigator on the first National Eye Health Survey and role as a co-founder of the national diabetes eye screening program KeepSight.
“In this time at CERA, Peter has been a champion of innovation and translational research and has built strong relationships with our supporter community.”
Professor Martin said Professor van Wijngaarden’s appointment highlighted the critical links between eye and brain research.
“Throughout his research career, Peter has been a strong advocate of the eye’s role as a window to the brain and the potential to gain greater insights into brain health through collaborations between ophthalmology and neuroscience,” said Professor Martin.
“The whole CERA community congratulates Peter on his new appointment and thanks him for his contribution to ophthalmic research and for the difference he has made to the eye health of hundreds of thousands of Australians.”