Professor Denis Wakefield

Professor Denis Wakefield, DSc, MD, MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA

Professor Wakefield graduated from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) with First Class Honours and the University Medal. He has dual specialist qualifications in internal medicine (FRACP) and pathology (FRCPA) (immunology). He was Head of the School of Pathology before becoming the Foundation Professor of the School of Medical Sciences at the UNSW.

He has had continuous NHMRC funding over 25 years as well as funding from NIH, ORIA and other research support. He has over 250 peer-reviewed publications, is on several editorial boards and was a longstanding immunology editor of the Australia/New Zealand Journal of Medicine. He has previously served as the Sub-Dean of Education during the major transformation of the undergraduate curriculum at UNSW. In 2005 he won the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence and in 2007 was awarded a DSc for his pioneering research into eye disease.

His major research interests include immunology of the eye and brain, and in particular the role of the immune system in causing inflammation in these organs. Active research projects include studies on the pathogenesis of uveitis and scleritis, cataract, pterygia, Sjogren's syndrome and post infection fatigue syndromes. There is a strong emphasis, in Professor Wakefield’s research, in the application of molecular biological techniques to answering fundamental biological questions regarding the cause of these disorders.

Professor Wakefield believes that the teaching of undergraduate and graduate students is one of the great strengths of the School of Medical Science at UNSW. There is a long-standing tradition of interest and enthusiasm for medical education. As head of the School of Medical Sciences, he has an interest in improving the learning environment for students, and in increasing their opportunities for self-directed learning, so that they may acquire key skills fundamental to the practice of medicine.

• 1976: University medal for medicine
• 1984: Edgeworth David Medal for research, Royal Society, NSW
• 1990: Fogarty visiting scientist, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD.
• 2005: Vice Chancellors Award for teaching excellence, UNSW.

• Served on NH&MRC Grant Allocation Committees 1993-7
• Served on NSW Dept Health Hospital Advisory Committee since 1997-8
• Served on Australian Medical Council Review Committee 2002-4

• Published 246 original peer-reviewed papers
• Published 11 books/chapters