ProfessorJohn Simes

BSc (Med), MBBS, FRACP, SM (Harvard), MD

Professor John Simes AO is a Senior Principal Research Fellow and Senior Associate Director at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (CTC) and Co-Director of Cancer Trials. He was the Founding Director of the CTC for a period of 33 years.

John is a leading international researcher in clinical trials, particularly in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neonatal medicine. From 1988 to 2021, John co-led the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre collaborating with clinical investigators and other researchers nationally and internationally in a research program aimed at improving health practice and health outcomes through better use of clinical trials research. Since then, he continues collaborative clinical research through an NHMRC Program Grant and NHMRC Investigator Grant. He has contributed to over 400 peer-reviewed articles, with many having a significant impact on current knowledge and clinical practice.

John is a founding member of the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA), formed in 2012 to promote effective and evidence based healthcare in Australia through investigator-initiated clinical trials. He is a practicing medical oncologist in neuro-oncology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse and is Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney. He has taught medical students and postgraduate students at the University of Sydney since 1989.

John was awarded the Cancer Achievement Award for lifetime achievement in oncology by the Medical Oncology Group of Australia (2010) and the Distinguished Harvard Alum Award (Biostatistics) from Harvard University (2009) in recognition of his work in research. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and a member of research committees, trials groups and boards, including cancer cooperative groups and safety and data monitoring committees. He was named on the Clarivate Analytics 2018 Highly Cited Researchers List for 2018.In 2020, John received an Order of Australia award (AO) for his service to education and medicine in cancer research and clinical trials.