Sir John Monash Distinguished Professors: New appointments and reappointment
Monash University has announced the appointments of Professor Dena Lyras, Professor Jennie Ponsford AO and Professor Christopher Porter as Sir John Monash Distinguished Professors, and the reappointment of Professor Douglas Macfarlane.
The title of Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor is the most prestigious honour conferred on serving professors at Monash University and is only awarded to professors of exceptional distinction who have made high-level and sustained contributions to their discipline, the University and the community.
Professor Dena Lyras
Professor Dena Lyras is Deputy Director of the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI). An eminent research authority on gut pathogens and antimicrobial resistance, Professor Lyras has received more than $22 million in competitive Commonwealth and industry grants, and has published 171 papers with more than 11,250 citations.
In 2010, Professor Lyras established the Lyras Lab within the BDI to conduct research on gut microbes and how they cause diseases, and has since worked with industry partners to develop non-antibiotic treatment strategies. The Lyras Lab has been recognised globally for discoveries that have transformed understanding of gut infections, and for developing methods and strains which have become influential tools for research in this field around the world. In recognition of her outstanding research contributions, Professor Lyras became the first academic woman in the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences to receive the Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship in 2021. She also received the prestigious BacPath Oration Award in 2022 and the Australian Society for Microbiology Distinguished Orator Award in 2023.
Professor Lyras has cultivated a strong reputation at Monash for her demonstrated commitment to microbiology education, mentorship and development and bridging the gap between the University’s education and research activities. Her tireless work ensures that the education experience for students at Monash is enriched through engagement with current, relevant research topics.
Professor Jennie Ponsford AO
Professor Jennie Ponsford AO is a Professor of Neuropsychology in the School of Psychological Sciences and Director of the Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre (MERRC). She has devoted more than 40 years of service to research and clinical work with individuals suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), publishing more than 500 journal articles and two books on TBI.
Having established Australia’s leading clinical neuropsychology training program at Monash, Professor Ponsford directed the program over 20 years and trained more than 200 students. She leads a 30-year Transport Accident Commission-funded prospective longitudinal cohort study of 3500 individuals with TBI and has conducted clinical trials of treatments for fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, challenging behaviour and post-concussive symptoms to enhance quality of life after TBI and stroke. Professor Ponsford also co-led the development for guidelines for cognitive rehabilitation following moderate-severe TBI, which are among the most viewed papers in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.
In 2017, Professor Ponsford was honoured as an Officer of the Order of Australia for her renowned contributions in neuropsychology and seminal advances in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients with TBI. She was also awarded the Robert L. Moody Prize for Distinguished Initiatives in Brain Injury and Rehabilitation in 2013. In 2023, she received the Jennett Plum Award for Outstanding Clinical Achievement in Brain Injury Medicine from the International Brain Injury Association and the Australian Psychological Society Award for Distinguished Contribution to Psychological Science. She was recognised by The Australian as Australia's leading rehabilitation therapy scientist in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Professor Christopher Porter
Professor Christopher Porter is the current Director of the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS). An acclaimed researcher in the field of oral drug absorption, lymphatic transport and nanomedicine development, he has published more than 250 peer-reviewed papers with 30,000 citations with multiple national and international recognitions.
Under Professor Porter’s vision and leadership, MIPS has excelled as a vehicle through which research discoveries can be translated into real-world impact. He has worked tirelessly to deepen the quality and reach of the fundamental science base at MIPS, resulting in the translation of scientific breakthroughs into practical, commercial endpoints that deliver both better health outcomes and create new companies that grow the Australian biotechnology community. Major MIPS-led commercialisation and research translation projects have led to the creation of biotech companies including Cincera, Septerna, Phrenix and Celesta. Professor Porter himself is the inventor of more than 15 patent families, many of which have evolved into commercialisation deals.
Professor Porter has been widely recognised for his excellence in teaching and research, having received numerous awards from the Faculty over the years including the Teaching Excellence Award in 2005, the Research Excellence Award in 2007, and the Research Impact Award in 2015. Together with his research team, he received the Research Enterprise Award and the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Enterprising Research in 2023.
Professor Douglas Macfarlane
Professor Douglas Macfarlane is currently appointed as Professor, School of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science and has held the title of Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor since 2019. A leading global authority in green ammonia, electrochemistry and ionic liquids, Professor Macfarlane has been a constant driver of innovation in renewable energy technologies and transformation in sustainable energy solutions. His recent breakthroughs include the development of materials for thermal energy storage and high-efficiency cooling technology.
In recognition of his research accomplishments, Professor Macfarlane was awarded the Craig Medal by the Australian Academy of Science and the Victoria Prize for Science and Innovation in the Physical Sciences in 2018, as well as the Max Bredig Award by the Electrochemical Society in 2023 and the Stokes Medal in 2024. He was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2007, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 2009, and the Royal Society (London) earlier this year.
Monash University congratulates Professors Lyras, Ponsford, Porter and Macfarlane for their respective honours and wishes them continued success in their academic and research pursuits at the University.