“We are very proud to have the support on the Board of these outstanding professionals who will greatly contribute to the future strategic direction of the Institute,” Chairman of the Burnet Board, Mr Alastair Lucas said.

Having achieved outstanding career success in biomolecular research, Professor Peter Colman brings significant scientific knowledge and commercialisation experience to the Board.

Professor Colman has been the Head of the Structural Biology Division at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne since 2001. A founding member and former director of both Biota Holdings Ltd and Starpharma Ltd, Professor Colman has also worked at the CSIRO.

He has published 102 original scientific papers dealing with aspects of protein structure and function primarily in the fields of infectious disease (influenza) and structure-based drug discovery.

Ms Padbury has been the Chairman of international legal firm, Blake Dawson since 2005.

Since becoming a partner at Blake Dawson in 1989, Ms Padbury has undertaken intellectual property litigation and the negotiation and documentation of agreements for the development, licensing and transfer of technology for Australian and multinational corporations, governments, statutory corporations,universities and research institutes. She is recognised as one of Australia’s leading intellectual property lawyers.

She is also a member of the board of Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (GI Cancer Institute).

Professor Mike Toole was appointed Deputy Director of Burnet in 2011 and has been the Head of the Centre for International Health at the Burnet Institute since 1995. He also has a Professorial appointment in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Melbourne’s Monash University.

A medical epidemiologist and public health physician, Professor Toole has a special interest in communicable disease control, including HIV prevention and care, women and children’s health, nutrition, refugees and humanitarian emergencies.

Professor Toole is currently a board member of the Three Diseases Fund for Burma/Myanmar, a member of the Global Fund Technical Review Panel, and a member of the International Monitoring Board of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.