Professor Arthur Shulkes, Associate Dean (Research)

The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences is Australia's premier biomedical research faculty. The University of Melbourne was ranked 16 in the world in clinical, pre-clinical and health subjects by the 2012-13 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Our research is encompassed in eight broad domain categories and includes over 1400 researchers working within the Faculty’s schools, departments and centres. Working environments are diverse, with researchers in laboratories such as in the Bio21 institute and the Centre for Neuroscience; clinics, major teaching hospitals, and in remote locations throughout the Asia Pacific and Southern Africa.

Researchers are located in key nodes throughout Melbourne, with Faculty departments in

• Parkville
• East Melbourne
• Fitzroy
• Footscray
• Heidelberg
• Rural Victoria (Shepparton, Wangaratta, Ballarat)
• Sunshine

In the Parkville precinct, the University is in close proximity to major hospitals such as the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Royal Women’s Hospital and the Royal Children’s Hospital, and within walking distance from research institutes such as the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and the Bio21 institute. There are also key research and clinical centres located throughout rural and regional Victoria to provide an understanding of the particular needs of these and similar rural and regional communities, nationally and internationally.

It is an exciting time of growth for the faculty. Major research developments are underway: the new Melbourne Brain Centre, the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity are at various stages of completion.

The breadth of research makes it possible to find world leaders in any health specialty area, who supervise and mentor research students. Our researchers' expertise spans a diverse range of interests. We are involved in solving the molecular puzzles posed by disease and injury, including work endeavouring to stimulate nerve regeneration after spinal cord injury; understanding how our immune cells respond to HIV infection; attempting to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease early; developing vaccines against cancer and elucidating the mechanisms that regulate body weight and cause heart disease. We are also tackling complex public health challenges in local, national and international communities, responding to the clinical challenges of caring for the mentally ill and the elderly or building capacity and training health professionals to respond to immediate and chronic health needs in disaster-struck populations.