23 November 2022

Austin Health continues to lead the way in research with a number of staff recognised for contributions in their field.

Professor Rinaldo Bellomo AO, Director of Intensive Care Research at Austin Health, has been recognised in the Research.com Best Scientist rankings for 2022. Prof Bellomo, who started at Austin Health in 1994, has ranked in the top 10 in Australia and top 500 in the world for his work in intensive care. So far this year, more than 90 publications have been published under Rinaldo’s name – retaining his title of the most published ICU clinician in the world.

Professor Rinaldo Bellomo has previously been named in the top 0.1 per cent of world experts on sepsis based on an analysis of his published research over the past 10 years.

Sepsis is a major health challenge that affects almost 50 million people around the world every year and is responsible for more 13 per cent of all ICU admissions in Australia.

Prof Bellomo says this award is an important recognition of the wonderful people he works with and the special place the Austin Hospital is.

“Without the ICU team of nurses and doctors who make it all possible, without the support of colleagues within the ICU and in other specialties and without the support of many people in the institution, this achievement would not be possible,” he says.

“All that we know and all that we do in medicine has come from research. Ventilators do not grow on trees, kidney machines are not dug from the ground, vasopressor medications cannot be picked from the fields, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation does not fall from the sky. All is the product of research.”

Congratulations, Rinaldo.

Professor Christopher Rowe, Director Molecular Imaging Research, has been named as a top researcher in The Australian’s Research magazine.

Recognised in the field of Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine for the third year in a row, Prof Rowe’s focus is PET brain imaging of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), for better understanding, earlier more accurate detection, and to speed development of effective treatments.

He is currently looking at transitioning the recent advancements in PET scans and blood tests for Alzheimer's disease into clinical practice.

“Austin Health has always recognised the importance of research for improving patient care and in attracting the best staff,” he says.

“I have been at Austin Health for 20 years and it is a great place to combine research and clinical work.”

Congratulations, Chris.

Associate Professor Mark Howard, Director Victorian Respiratory Support Service, has been named as a top researcher in The Australian’s Research magazine in epidemiology.

A/Prof Howard is a specialist physician in respiratory and sleep medicine with interests in long-term ventilation of patients with respiratory failure and the impact of sleep disorders on driving and occupational health and safety.

His key research areas are focussed on testing alertness and drowsiness technology to reduce fatigue related incidents in truck drivers and supporting patients with chronic respiratory failure who require long term home ventilation.

Mark is also an organiser of the COVID-19 Outbreak Public Evaluation Initiative (COPE), assessing public attitudes, behaviours, and beliefs related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to evaluate the mental and behavioural health during the pandemic.

Mark says developing new ideas and bringing them to fruition is incredibly rewarding.

“Working with and helping smart people bring their own ideas to life and using research to shape the long-term vision of how we improve lives and more broadly society is what motivates me.”

Congratulations, Mark.