Professor Alex Bobik is an internationally recognised vascular biologist with 40 years of research experience in vascular biology and cardiovascular disease. He has published more than 225 original research papers on cardiovascular disease-hypertension, restenosis and atherosclerosis. In 2004, he started working on research theme 'Immunopathogenesis and Therapeutics of Atherosclerosis' with Professor Ban-Hock Toh (Monash University, former Head of Department of Immunology) and Associate Professor Peter Tipping (Monash University), an expert in inflammation. This research work resulted in key papers in atherosclerosis, including papers on NKT cells, B2 cells, B1a cells, regulatory T cells and CD8 T cells in atherosclerosis. The report on role of B2 cells in atherosclerosis showed a paradigm shift on understanding as to how B cells participate in atherosclerosis (Journal of Immunology, 2010). Previously it was thought that B cells were protective, but he demonstrated that depletion of B cells reduces atherosclerosis, indicating the presence of a proatherogenic B cell subtype which contributes to atherosclerosis. Later, he showed that B1a cells and regulatory T cells protect against atherosclerosis (Circulation Research 2011). Recently, he has reported a definitive role of CD8 T cells in atherosclerosis proposing their important role in plaque rupture (Circulation 2013). Immunology and cardiovascular disease, mostly atherosclerosis is now the major research theme.

He serves as member of Editorial Boards of 12 international biomedical journals including Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology and Cardiovascular Research, and has supervised a large number of postgraduate students and overseas and Australian postdoctoral fellows.