Professor Mike Ryan is the Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Senior Vice-President at Monash University, providing leadership, direction and advancing the University's research agenda. He is responsible for Monash’s research capability, performance and impact, as well as delivering research services, including funding administration, graduate research programs and research infrastructure.

Prior to this appointment, Professor Ryan was Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), responsible for leading and supporting Monash’s research agenda, fostering excellence and collaboration and promoting Monash’s research capabilities, global reputation and profile.

Professor Ryan is an award-winning research leader with a background in biochemistry and molecular biology. He heads the Mitochondrial Biology and Disease Laboratory at Monash University’s Biomedical Discovery Institute, with funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC), National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and the Mito Foundation. His research seeks to understand mitochondrial disease pathogenesis and to contribute to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cures of mitochondrial disorders. He has published extensively in top-tier publications including Nature and Science, and has served as a member on a number of editorial boards.

Professor Ryan serves as Chair of the Research Grant Committee and Selection Grant Committee of the International Human Frontier Science Program Organisation, based in Strasbourg, France. He is also a Board member for the Mito Foundation and Chair of its Scientific and Medical Advisory Panel.

In 2006, Professor Ryan was awarded the Roche Medal from the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). In 2015 to 2016, Professor Ryan served as President of ASBMB. In 2023, he was awarded the ASBMB Lemberg Medal. The medal is a recognition of Professor Ryan’s outstanding research in biochemistry and molecular biology, as well as his contributions to the science community and society.

He has also previously held the positions of Academic Director (Research Infrastructure) and Deputy Dean (Research and Research Infrastructure) in Monash’s Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. Before coming to Monash, Professor Ryan was Head of the Department of Biochemistry at La Trobe University, and was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Freiburg, Germany.

Professor Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and PhD in Biochemistry from La Trobe University.

Research lab webpage: www.monash.edu/discovery-institute/ryan-lab