Member
International Advisory Council
Neuroscientist, researcher and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Ed was most recently President and Principal at King’s College, London. He will join the Global Executive board of Ramsay Health as Group Chief Medical Officer in February 2021.
In a stellar career, neuroscientist, researcher and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Ed was most recently President and Principal at King’s College, London and Chairman of King’s Health Partners board from 2014 to 2020. He joined the Global Executive board of Ramsay Health as Group Chief Medical Officer in February 2021.
He began his career in Adelaide after graduating with first class honours from the University of Tasmania in 1974. He was made Neurology Registrar at Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1978. He finished his neurology training and completed his doctorate at the Institute of Neurology Queen Square and in 1982 was awarded the Queen Square prize for neurological research. In 1983, he was appointed Director of Neurology at St Vincent’s Hospital and Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Melbourne in 1992.
Professor Byrne was a founding director of the Melbourne Neuromuscular Research Unit and the Centre for Neuroscience in 1993. He was also made Professor of Experimental Neurology at the University of Melbourne in 2001. His major research contributions have been in the field of mitochondrial medicine and neuromuscular disorders.
He first came to Monash University as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, a role he held from 2003 until 2007.
Professor Byrne was then appointed the Vice Provost (Health) at University College London (UCL). He held that position until becoming the eighth University President and Vice-Chancellor at Monash University in 2009.
The University of Melbourne awarded him a Doctor of Science, a higher degree conferred in recognition of a demonstrated record of research excellence. He completed a Masters of Business Administration in 2005.
He has been awarded…
- UCL, honorary professorship.
- Warwick University, honorary professorship.
- Peking University, honorary professorship.
- University of Adelaide, honorary degree.
- Warwick University, honorary degree.
- Western University, honorary degree.
- University of Sydney, honorary degree.
- Australian Academy of Science and Technology, fellowship.
- Australian Academy of Health and Medicine, fellowship.
- American Academy of Neurology, fellowship.
- American Neurological Association, fellowship.
He was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2019.
He was awarded a Knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in October 2020.
He has wide interests in the arts and has published four books of poetry through Melbourne University Press and has recently co-authored with Charles Clarke, a former senior UK Cabinet Minister, a book, The University Challenge: Changing universities in a changing world.
Recreation: Poetry; fly fishing