Neurology clinicians and researchers have featured strongly in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday honours list.
Prof Stephen Davis
Professor Stephen Davis was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to medical education, to stroke research, and to the management of cerebrovascular disease.
Professor Davis is Director of the Melbourne Brain Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Professor of Translational Neuroscience at The University of Melbourne.
He co-founded the Australian Neurosciences Trials Network and the Melbourne Mobile Stroke Unit program. He also co-chairs the Australian Stroke Alliance.
Reverend Dr Cecilie Lander was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to neurological medicine, and also to the Anglican Church of Australia.
Dr Lander has a long history with the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where she established an antenatal clinic for women with epilepsy. She was also co-founder and a co-investigator with Professor Frank Vajda of the Australian Pregnancy Register for Antiepileptic Drugs.
Dr Lander was vice-president of the Epilepsy Society of Australia (2012-2015), on the Medical Advisory Committee for Epilepsy Queensland, and is an honorary life member of the Myasthenia Gravis Society of Queensland.
Clinical Professor Peter Gates was also recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to neurology.
Professor Gates established a career in clinical neurology, clinical research and teaching in Geelong.
He has held positions including director of stroke, director of neuroscience and director of physician training at Barwon Health and is also Clinical Professor of Neurology at Deakin University.
Professor Gates has established an online learning platform Understanding Neurology to help improve diagnostic skills in neurology.
Professor Stephen Wilton has been awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his distinguished service to medical research, to neurological science, and to the treatment of muscular dystrophy.
Professor Wilton is a Board Director at the Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science and Director of the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics – a joint venture between the Perron Institute and Murdoch University.
Professor Susan Fletcher was also awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her distinguished service to medical research, to neurological science, and to the treatment and support of those with muscular dystrophy.
Professor Fletcher is currently Chief Scientific Officer at PYC Therapeutics which focuses on RNA therapeutics.
Previous positions include Director of Research at the Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science and deputy director at the Centre for Comparative Genomics at Murdoch University.
Professors Wilton and Fletcher pioneered development of new drug therapies such as eteplirsen for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy for which they earned a Eureka Prize in 2013.