Jim McCluskey trained in Perth as a physician and pathologist before working at the National Institutes of Health (US).
Periods at Monash University, Flinders University and the Australian Red Cross Blood Service preceded him taking a Chair in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne in 1997.
He has held positions as Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, Pro Vice Chancellor Research Partnerships. He is currently Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor at The University of Melbourne.
He has published more than 300 scientific articles on how genes control immunity.
He received the Parr Prize from the Australian Rheumatism Association; the Rose Payne Medal from the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics; Ceppellini Award from the European Federation of Immunogenetics; an Australian Museum Eureka Award; the International Roche Organ Transplantation Fund Recognition Prize for Excellence in Organ Transplantation Research; and the GSK Research Excellence Award.
He has previously been a director on two CRC Boards, the Burnet Institute, Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, and St Vincent’s research Institute.
He is currently a director of the Walter & Eliza Hall Medical Research institute, the Bionics Institute, UoM Commercial, Nossal Institute Ltd, the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre and Australian Friends for ASHA for Slums Ltd.
He has consulted for the Australian Red Cross Blood Service for more than 20 years.
He was Editor-in-Chief of the journal Tissue Antigens for 15 years and Past President of the Australasian Society for Immunology; Australia Pacific Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Association and the International Histocompatibility Workshop Group.
He has recently led the development of the $207M Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, a joint venture between The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health.
His former research students work in industry, academia, publishing, IP law, commercialisation and research management.
[March 2016]