Duncan Maskell

Professor Duncan Maskell became the 20th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne on 1 October 2018.

Prior to this, Professor Maskell was Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Cambridge, responsible for overall planning and resources for the globally recognised institution with an annual turnover of approximately £2 billion. He also worked at the heart of one of Europe’s largest academic development programs, spearheading an array of productivity initiatives.

A Cambridge graduate and research specialist in infectious diseases, Professor Maskell’s career also includes the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and Wellcome Biotech.

While at Cambridge, Professor Maskell held a number of leadership roles, including Head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, Head of the School of the Biological Sciences, and the Marks and Spencer Professor of Farm and Animal Heath, Food Science and Food Safety at the Department of Veterinary Medicine. He led a large research group investigating bacterial infections of livestock and people, has published more than 250 research papers, is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and an Honorary Associate of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons – the highest honour bestowed on a non-veterinarian.

In addition to academic and university leadership roles, Professor Maskell has enjoyed an active entrepreneurial career, co-founding four biotech companies among his accomplishments, including Arrow Therapeutics, which sold to biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, and Discuva, which sold to Summit Therapeutics. One of his goals as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne is to further advance the commercialisation and application of our vast research program benefiting society and industry.

Professor Maskell supports a culture of philanthropy, public education for public good, and a strong international presence to attract and retain the best of the best. He is also fervent about the need to gather rigorous data and communicate clear, factual messages to the public, preventing the perpetuation of misinformation and myths.

Professor Maskell holds a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge.