What is your role and what does your work focus on?
I’m a balanced academic (Associate Professor) in the Discipline of Clinical Pharmacology and a Beat Cancer Mid-Career Research Fellow. In this role I coordinator and teach the basic clinical pharmacology topics in the Bachelor of Medical Science, Bachelor of Paramedicine and MD Programs. I also lead a research group that collaborate extensively with the pharmaceutical industry and clinicians to develop and translate novel approaches to guide the optimal dosing of medicines with a particular focus on targeted cancer medicines.
Where did you work before joining CMPH?
I completed my PhD at Flinders University under Professor John Miners the end of 2008 then spent a year living in the Riverland and working at Berri Estates Winery while my wife completed the third year of her BMBS as a PRCC student. I returned to Flinders in 2010 initially as a grant funded post-doctoral researcher in Prof Miners laboratory, before being appointed to my current academic position at the start of 2011.
What journey brought you to this point in your career?
I actually started my undergraduate studies at Flinders University in 2001 enrolled in a Bachelor of Science majoring in Physics, but met a girl at mid-way through 1st year who was studying a Health Sciences degree, so in my second year I dropped my physics major so I could do all the medical topics with her, which is how I ended up studying undergraduate pharmacology, which it turns out I’m semi-decent at. I then completed my Honours and PhD in Pharmacology under the supervision of Prof Miners. I also married the girl at the end of 2008 and now have two amazing boys (Aidan who’s 9 years old and Archer who’s 3 years old) with her – so it’s all worked out nicely to this point.
What is something you love most about your work?
Collaborating with energetic like-minded researchers across industry, academia and clinical practice to address challenges that make an impactful difference to the way that new medicines are developed and used.
If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?
It’s important in life to be curious not judgemental and so long as you keep believing in your own inner strength you can make it through pretty much anything. Luck is going to play a bigger part in your successes than you’re probably going to want to admit, so always be open to new opportunities.
If you had a super power what would it be?
I watch Ben10 with my two boys and even though I can’t fly the consensus in my household is that I am Stinkfly, so I guess I’ve got to go with that.
How do you like to relax or spend your spare time?
Having two young boys most of my time outside of work is spent either at after school sporting and musical activities or at birthday parties, but when I get the chance I enjoy getting to the gym or getting out for a run along the Adelaide coastline with friends.
Who is the most famous person you are related to?
My great uncle Dave Mcintosh played 300 games Sheffield Wednesday in the English Premier League then moved to Australia where he played for the Doncaster Rovers.