Senior appointments provide new leadership in health

Friday, 28 June 2019

The University of Adelaide has made two senior appointments in health and medical sciences education and research, which are critical to the future of the South Australian community’s health and wellbeing.

Professor Benjamin Kile has been appointed Executive Dean of the University’s Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences – with overall responsibility for education and research in the Faculty – while Professor Andrew Zannettino has been appointed Executive Director of Research Strategy with the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), in a joint role with the University of Adelaide.

Professor Kile is currently Head of the School of Anatomy and Developmental Biology with Monash University. He has more than 20 years’ experience in medical and health research, and prior to joining Monash in 2017 he held a number of senior positions with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and the University of Melbourne.

A graduate of Monash University (Bachelor of Science (1993), Bachelor of Laws (1995)), and the University of Melbourne (Bachelor of Science (Honours) (1997) and PhD (2001)), Professor Kile is known for his research into the development, survival and function of blood cells – research that has implications for leukaemia and serious inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis.

The University of Adelaide is ranked 31 in the world for Dentistry, 42 for Nursing, and within the top 100 for Medicine (QS World University Rankings 2019). All of these schools sit within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.

The University’s new strategic plan, Future Making, has identified health and biotech as a key industry engagement priority, and the health and wellbeing of the community as a grand challenge.

“Professor Benjamin Kile is an outstanding appointment to this role, bringing a wealth of experience in medical research and education, relationship management with teaching hospitals and allied health professionals, and involvement in the commercialisation of research,” said the University’s Provost, Professor Mike Brooks.

“He has played a significant role in the establishment of a $100 million teaching and learning facility at Monash, has been responsible for the outstanding performance of undergraduate education programs, and for attracting significant funding for biomedical research.”

Professor Kile said: “The University of Adelaide has a proud history in medicine, science and health.

“The convergence of recent investment, new vision, and the energetic new leadership of Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Rathjen, presents a remarkable opportunity to contribute to a bold new era in the University’s – and South Australia’s – medical and health sciences education and research sector.”

He said his new role would see him continue to pursue his haemotology research and “I cannot imagine life without it”.

“Besides hoping to make a difference, research is a wonderful way to understand what’s happening at the coalface, and to build linkages and forge new relationships in the Faculty and across the precinct.

“The Adelaide BioMed City precinct represents an extraordinary investment in health that will require a corresponding investment in relationship building and organisational collaboration in order to deliver on its promise. Getting involved in that process will be a major focus from day one,” he said.

Professor Kile will commence in the role on 8 October 2019.

As Executive Director of Research Strategy, Professor Zannettino will work closely with the various members of the Adelaide BioMed City precinct, including CALHN, the universities, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Health Translation SA, and State and Federal Governments, and will focus on research strategy, performance and translation, ensuring that CALHN is one of the leading research-informed health care providers. He will retain his professorship in the Faculty.

Professor Zannettino’s new role will also commence on 8 October 2019.

This is a tremendously exciting time for the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences with recent professorial appointments from Oxford and Stanford Universities, and new searches underway for world leading researchers.

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