Professor Robyn O'Hehir AO

Emeritus Professor Robyn O'Hehir AO FAHMS

Current Positions:

  • Emeritus Professor, Monash University (conferred 2 April 2025)
  • Professor of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, School of
    Translational Medicine, Monash University
  • Honorary Consultant Physician, Alfred Health (Allergist and Clinical Immunologist)

Contact details

Laboratory:
Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Department of Immunology
Level 6, Burnet Tower, Alfred Research Alliance precinct
89 Commercial Road
Melbourne 3004

Biosketch

Emeritus Professor Robyn E O’Hehir AO FAHMS has been a key academic clinician scientist in international translational allergy research for over 35 years. The importance of her research is indicated by her successful competitive grant funding > $140 million since 1997 including continuous NHMRC funding (30 NH&MRC/ARC/MRFF grants), and funding from the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund, Monash Director of the CRC Asthma and Airways (12 years), Australian Food Allergy Foundation, CASS Foundation, Alfred Research Trusts and a founding member of the Jeffrey Modell Foundation in Melbourne. The Robyn O’Hehir Dux Medal is awarded to the top Honours student within the School of Translational Medicine annually recognising her contribution to translational research within the Faculty and Monash University. Professor O’Hehir is widely published with more than 390 publications, over 42,400 career citations to date and a career h-index of 89 (h-index of 57 since 2021; Google Scholar 1 June 2026).  She is the second most cited author in allergen immunotherapy and fourth most cited in food allergy and clinical immunology. Robyn graduated BSc and then MBBS Hons I (Gold Medallist) from Monash University, was awarded her PhD at University of London on a Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Scholarship and obtained the qualifications FRACP, FRCP, FRCPath, FAHMS and FThorSoc.  She was appointed to the Foundation Chair of Allergy in Australia, at Monash University, in 1996.

E/Professor O’Hehir has a longstanding interest in immunomodulation as a therapeutic treatment for allergic and other immune mediated diseases. Notably she pioneered and established methodology for cloning human allergen-specific T cells to define their biology.  E/Professor O’Hehir has an active patent portfolio in translational research with inventorship on 18 patent families at various stages of progression including the biotech company Aravax Pty Ltd.  Her research has translated into enhanced allergen immunotherapy including for house dust mite and grass pollen aeroallergies (notably prevention of epidemic thunderstorm asthma), and currently a therapeutic for peanut allergy with Series B funding of US$42M. Headline results for the phase 2 trial are anticipated mid-2026. E/Professor O’Hehir served on the Cabrini Australia Board for 10 years. In 2015 she was honoured by election as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and a Fellow of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand. E/Professor O’Hehir is an Officer in the Order of Australia and a member of the Victorian Honour Roll of Women. She was named Top Researcher in Immunology in The Australian’s Research Awards 2023, 2024 and also in 2026 based on the highest number of citations for papers published in the top 20 journals in each field over the preceding five years.

E/Professor O’Hehir was an Associate Editor of Allergy, the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the top ranked discipline journal in this field from 2018-2026. She is a Senior Editor of Middleton’s Principles and Practice of Allergy 10e published April 2026 and the derivative book series Allergy Essentials.  She has supervised to completion and mentored more than 46 graduate students.

Publications

Professor O’Hehir has ~400 publications. For a list see: