Professor Alastair Stewart
Professor of Pharmacology
University of Melbourne

Alastair Stewart, a Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Melbourne, is the head of the Immunopharmacology Laboratory. He holds BSc (Hons) and PhD degrees from the University of Melbourne and has 29 years experience in the field of respiratory research. His research interests focus on airway wall remodelling in asthma and parenchymal remodelling in pulmonary fibrosis and is internationally recognised for his work in tissue remodelling and inflammation.

He has secured research contracts from major pharmaceutical companies, including GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Astra-Zeneca, and Australian biotech companies, including AMRAD and Progen. In 2001 he co-founded Cryptopharma, a company involved in discovery and development of new anti-inflammatory drugs and served as its CEO from 2001-2006. His basic research has been funded by peer-reviewed grants NHMRC, NHF, ACCV and charitable trusts including the Clive and Vera Ramaciotti Foundation. He periodically consults to major Pharma, including GSK, Merck and Boehringer Ingelheim.

Dr Stewart has a breadth of experience in Research Institutes in the UK and in Melbourne and has also spent over 10 years in the University sector. He has published over 140 scientific articles including peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, review articles and granted patents. Dr Stewart currently serves on two scientific advisory committees for Australian Medical Research Institutes and has served on NHMRC grant review discipline panels (2000-2002; 2007-). He is a former member of the Council and Executive of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ), chairing the Education and Research subcommittee. He also serves on the editorial boards of several international journals. He joined the steering committee of Research Australia, Philanthropy in 2007. His laboratory has a strong track record of Graduate Research training and he maintains wide interests in research, research training and research support structures.