Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

<a href="https://www.monash.edu/medicine/research/supervisorconnect" onclick="target='_blank';">https://www.monash.edu/medicine/research/supervisorconnect</a>

1990 …2026

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

Professor Eric Morand is a a physician-scientist and Dean of the Sub-Faculty of Clinical and Molecular Medicine.  The Sub-Faculty of Clinical and Molecular Medicine encompasses all Monash University research and teaching activities that are in partnership with Monash Health, Victoria's largest health service. This includes the School of Clinical Sciences, Victorian Heart Institute, Monash Centre for Health Research Implementation, and the University's partnership with the Hudson Institute of Medical Research. 

As a researcher, Professor Morand specialises in the study of systemic lupus erythematosus. He is founder of the Monash Lupus Clinic, Australia's largest research-grounded clinic for patients with SLE, a founding member of the Australian Lupus Registry & Biobank, and Chair of the Asia-Pacific Lupus Collaboration.  His lab research has focussed on the biology of glucocorticoids in rheumatic disease, and his clinical research focuses on measurement, outcomes and endpoints in lupus.

He is a clinical rheumatologist, and Head of the Monash Health Rheumatology Unit, the largest in Australia.

Research interests

Professor Morand is a physician-scientist whose key interests are clinical outcome measurement and biological profiling in SLE, and the actions of glucocorticoid induced proteins on the immune system. Read more at https://www.monash.edu/medicine/scs/researchers/eric-morand .

His group has pioneered the development and validation of treat-to-target outcome measures in SLE, via the Asia-Pacific Lupus Collaboration, which with over 4,000 patients under study is among the largest cohorts of SLE patients ever assembled. 

Biomarker studies in SLE are also a major focus, with thousands of samples linked to longitudinal clinical data archived in the Australian Lupus Registry & Biobank, headquartered at Monash. 

His lab discovered the role in rheumatic disease of multiple important glucocorticoid-regulated proteins. Most recently his group defined the role of GILZ in RA, Th17 pathways, B cell activation, and lupus, and are working on exploiting its actions to develop a safe glucocorticoid mimic. His lab also works on innate immunity including the actions of the unique pro-inflammatory protein, MIF. 

Clinical activities

Professor Morand is Head of Rheumatology, Monash Health. He works in clinics servicing lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and complex rheumatology cases, and undertakes ward duty inpatient care in the largest service in the country. 

Consulting

Advisory expertise and research collaboration experience with international biotech and Pharma companies. 

 

Special interests include Lupus / SLE outcome measures, trials, translational research and biomarkers. 

Community service

Professor Morand is a Board member of Rare Voices Australia, has served on the board of the Australian Rheumatology Association and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the ARA Research Trust. 

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Research area keywords

  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
  • glucocorticoids
  • Lupus
  • SLE
  • RA
  • GILZ
  • MIF
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Rheumatology
  • outcome measures
  • Clinical Trials
  • Translational Research
  • Cytokines

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or