Since 2018, Mater Research has been privileged to be led by Executive Director Professor Maher Gandhi.
Under his leadership, advocacy and strategic direction, Mater Research has enhanced its profile, resulting in a notable increase in grant funding from both state and federal governments as well as community donations from Mater Foundation.
Last week, Prof Gandhi announced that in February 2025, he will step down from his position at Mater Research to begin a new role as Chief Executive Officer at the Translational Research Institute (TRI).
In announcing his resignation, Prof Gandhi, who also leads the Blood Cancer Research Group, said that, as a 29-year-old clinician, he made the decision to pivot his career path and pursue a PhD to become a clinician researcher.
Now, 29 years later, he will pivot again to lead a world-class research facility and promote Queensland as a destination where some of the very best research in the world takes place.
He will apply the same exceptional vision and professionalism that he has demonstrated throughout his time at Mater Research.
Studies completed during Maher’s tenure have furthered our understanding of Parkinson’s disease, lymphoma, osteoporosis, autism, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, COVID-19 and many other important areas of medical research.
Prof Gandhi also oversaw the establishment of Mater’s Research Advisory Board and the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health, as well as the continuation of Mater Research as the lead site for Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth.
Prof Gandhi is a compassionate and principled leader, who has provided invaluable counsel and encouragement to his colleagues and will be greatly missed by the many researchers, clinicians and others whom he has supported and inspired over the last six years.
With much of Mater Research’s biomedical research being based at TRI, Prof Gandhi will still work closely with Mater Research in his new role.
Mater Group Chief Executive Dr Peter Steer extends Prof Gandhi heartfelt thanks and wishes him the very best in his new role.
“He will be greatly missed by those who have come to know and admire him over the last six years,” Dr Steer said.
