Sarath Ranganathan, a distinguished Indian-origin professor specializing in respiratory medicine and renowned as a clinician scientist on the international stage, has assumed the prestigious position of the head of the Melbourne Medical School at the University of Melbourne.
Reflecting on this appointment, Professor Jane Gunn, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne, expressed her delight in welcoming Professor Ranganathan to this significant role. She highlighted his previous leadership roles within the faculty, which encompassed holding the Stevenson chair in Paediatrics and serving as the head of the Department of Paediatrics, a substantial department within the Melbourne Medical School.
Taking on this new responsibility in January 2024, Professor Ranganathan expressed his profound privilege in becoming the next head of the Melbourne Medical School. He underscored the school’s leadership in education, research, policy, and practice and eagerly anticipated collaborating with students and staff to uphold the institution’s illustrious tradition of community service and health advancement.
Professor Ranganathan’s enduring affiliations with the Royal Children’s Hospital were noted, where he has served as a consultant respiratory physician since 2004 and held the position of director of respiratory and sleep medicine from 2012 to 2020.
Furthermore, he presently serves as the chair of the Melbourne Children’s Campus Education Committee and has spearheaded the establishment of the pediatric academy, aiming to cultivate a thriving interprofessional community across the children’s campus.
In addition to these roles, Professor Ranganathan demonstrates his dedication to nurturing the academic journeys of clinician scientists by co-chairing the Melbourne Children’s Clinical Research Incubator. He has steered his research group since 2010 as the group head of respiratory research at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.
