Professor Carolyn Mountford will be the new CEO and Director of Research for the Translational Research Institute (TRI), taking over from Professor Ian Frazer in February 2015.

 “Professor Mountford is a world-leading expert in magnetic resonance (MR), in particular spectroscopy, and brings new international connections and expertise to TRI”, said Dr David Watson, Chair of the Translational Research Institute. 

“She is the holder of five significant patents, in the areas of cancer, chronic pain, head injury and MR, with a further five patents pending. She has authored or co-authored more than 180 peer-reviewed articles and attracted US$39 million in funding.”

Professor Mountford and her team are currently working to improve MR spectroscopy technology and broaden its medical application. This work has already resulted in techniques used by research centres and hospitals for patients with cancer, brain tumours, and neurologic and psychological disorders. 

The USA and Australian military have contracted her team to further develop the new MR in vivo approach that diagnoses changes to brain chemistry associated with brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder. These in turn promise new therapeutic approaches.

One of Prof Mountford’s programs has developed a way to monitor women at high risk for breast cancer identifying metabolic deregulations in their breast tissue that precede tumor growth. 

Professor Mountford is looking forward to joining TRI where the emphasis is on translating research into better patient care. “To achieve this we need multidisciplinary research; and we need to encourage our researchers to foster international and commercial collaborations,” said Professor Mountford. 

“Australia needs to rethink the way it funds new scientific ideas and to provide funds in a timeframe that ensures we are competitive internationally”. 

Professor Mountford was full Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School until 2013 where she continues her role as Director of the Centre for Clinical Spectroscopy at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.  She comes to TRI from the University of Newcastle where she is the Professor of Radiology and Director of the Centre for MR in Health. 

Professor Ian Frazer, will be stepping down from the role of TRI CEO in February 2015 to focus on his research, having successfully set up TRI for the next exciting phase in its journey. He will continue to work at TRI and to be TRI’s Ambassador.

Contact Louise Morland -  M: 0417 679 306 E: [email protected]