Sydney experts elected to Academy of Health and Medical Sciences

University of Sydney academics have been recognised for their work in the annual awards of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) which works to advance health and medical research across Australia.

Professor Dominic Dwyer, Clinical Professor of Medicine (Immunology & Infectious Diseases) at the Westmead Clinical School Institute for Clinical Pathology and Medical Research; Professor Sarah Hilmer, Conjoint Professor of Geriatric Pharmacology Medicine at the Northern Clinical School; and Professor Kristine Macartney, Director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance and Professor of Paediatrics & Child Health at the Children’s Hospital Westmead, join 28 other new Fellows from around Australia.

Each year, the Academy elects the best and brightest minds in Australia as Fellows in recognition of their outstanding achievements and exceptional, ongoing contributions to the field of medical and health sciences. This year’s cohort of 31 new Fellows is made up of 15 women and 16 men from a wide range of fields and specialties.

Professor Ingrid Scheffer, AAHMS President, said: “The wealth of experience and diversity of expertise amongst our newest Fellows will allow the Academy to continue to provide an expert and authoritative voice that spans the full breadth and depth of health services, medical science, research and innovation in Australia.”

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott, said: “Congratulations to the 2022 Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. I’m delighted their extensive contributions to the medical field, which have had lasting, global impacts on public health, are being recognised. Their dedication and expertise will continue to be crucial to the ongoing improvements in health care and quality of life for our community.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Emma Johnston said: “We’re very proud that the Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences have elected three University of Sydney members to their ranks. This recognition from their peers reflects careers spent furthering their respective fields. This includes research in virology, investigating the dangers of over-prescribing medications, and developing robust vaccination surveillance programs. It is an honour to continue supporting their work at Sydney.”

Professor Dominic Dwyer is a clinical virologist, physician and is Director of the NSW Health Pathology West network. In 2009 he was appointed Director and Senior Medical Virologist for Westmead Hospital’s Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research’s Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services.

He is a leader in public health and emerging infections. He played a prominent role in sequencing the virus responsible for COVID-19 that helped informed contact tracing efforts in Australia and was a member of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) delegation investigating the origin of COVID-19.

Professor Sarah Hilmer has worked as the Head of Clinical Pharmacology and as a geriatrician at Royal North Shore Hospital since 2005. Her research and clinical expertise is respected both nationally and internationally.

She leads a research program in ageing and pharmacology at the Kolling Institute and has contributed widely to the management of medication, and is a member of the Charles Perkins Centre. Her research focuses on understanding medication use and improving health outcomes in older people, particularly those living with multiple conditions.

Professor Hilmer developed the Drug Burden Index, an innovative tool to measure the overall risk of a person’s medicines to their physical and cognitive function. This tool is being used widely across the Northern Sydney and Central Coast Local Health Districts.

Professor Kristine Macartney is a paediatrician specialising in infectious diseases and vaccinology and a member of Sydney ID. She is an expert of vaccine safety, policy and implementation, and vaccine-preventable viral diseases such as influenza, SARS-CoV-2, rotavirus, and varicella-zoster (chickenpox).

She is currently the Director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, a paediatric infectious disease consultant at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and a Professor in the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Sydney.

Professor Macartney is a member of the Advisory Committee on Vaccines of the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the Communicable Diseases Network of Australia and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.

She has acted as an expert consultant to the WHO and is a member of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety. She leads the Australian national AusVaxSafety and Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance networks, and is the founding chair of the Australian Regional Immunisation Alliance.