7 May 2025

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our esteemed colleague, mentor and friend, Professor Rinaldo Bellomo AO.

Rinaldo was the Director of Intensive Care Research and Staff Specialist in Intensive Care at Austin Health, but this title vastly understates the profound contribution he has made to critical care medicine in Australia and worldwide, and the significant impact he has had upon many of us as a colleague and friend.

Rinaldo is the most published and most cited medical researcher in the history of Australian medicine and his research has saved countless lives, not just here at Austin Health but globally.

In addition to his role at Austin Health, Rinaldo was Senior Research Advisor and Staff Specialist in Intensive Care at the Department of Intensive Care at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, and held roles at several universities and institutes in Australia and around the world.

In 2018, he was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to intensive care medicine as a biomedical scientist and researcher.

While his impact as a clinical academic was immense, Rinaldo will be best remembered by many for his warmth, wisdom, humility and humour and his heartfelt passion for people – whether that be patients for whom he advocated or colleagues he supported, advised and mentored. He believed in our power – both as individuals and collectively – to do good and it is this legacy that we should all strive to uphold.

While words cannot capture the depth of this loss, we extend our deepest sympathies to his family, our ICU team and all who cherished his wit, wisdom and dedication.

In lieu of flowers, Rinaldo’s family would welcome donations to support his research legacy: https://austin-health-community-fundraising.raisely.com/inmem-rinaldo-bellomo

Vale Professor Rinaldo Bellomo.