Professor Tien Wong appointed new Managing Director

Professor Tien Wong has been appointed as new Managing Director of the Centre for Eye Research Australia and as Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Melbourne. He succeeds Professor Hugh R. Taylor AC, who is retiring in December to return to research with a focus on indigenous eye health.

Professor Tien Wong is currently the Deputy Head of the Department and Director of the Centre for Eye Research Australia’s Clinical Epidemiology Division (including the Retinal Vascular Imaging Centre).

Chairman, Ms Tina McMeckan, said that “Professor Wong will be an outstanding Managing Director who offers an exceptional research track record, combined with passion, commitment and vision for the organisation. His peers in science and research occasionally acknowledge that he has a CV to die for.”

At 39, Professor Wong is one of the youngest scientists to head a medical research institute in Australia. He completed medical school at the National University of Singapore in 1992 and clinical ophthalmology training at the Singapore National Eye Centre in 2002.

In 2006, he was promoted to full Professor and was awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Medical Research. In 2005, he received a grant from the Victorian State government, under its highly competitive Science, Technology and Innovation scheme, to develop the $6M Retinal Vascular Imaging Centre.

Internationally, Professor Wong was named in 1999, as one of the ‘Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World for academic leadership in people younger than 40 years of age.’

As an author or co-author of more than 250 scientific publications, Professor Wong’s track record is exceptional, as is his success at obtaining grant funding – more than $15 million to date.

Professor Tien Wong said he was honoured by the appointment and was looking forward to the challenges and opportunities of leading a world-class medical research centre.

He commenced as Managing Director and as Head of the Department in January 2008.