Biography
Professor Andy Hill is internationally renowned for his ground-breaking work in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Prion Diseases, and extracellular vesicles. His research addresses some of the major health challenges of the twenty-first century.
Andy is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Impact, at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. Here, Andy has a critical role in leading Victoria University’s strategy for ‘Research with Impact’, focusing on diversifying the applied research program, ethical commercialisation and embedding ‘Protecting Country’ principles.
Before Victoria University, Professor Hill held several leadership roles at La Trobe University. He was the Associate Provost Research and Industry Engagement (Science, Health and Engineering) and responsible for the strategic leadership of research and developing partnerships and increasing research productivity.
He has also been Director of the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science and Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Genetics. During that time, he established the La Trobe Research Centre for the Study of Extracellular Vesicles (RCEV) and was its inaugural Director. In addition, Professor Hill has held positions at Imperial College, University College London and the University of Melbourne as a Wellcome Trust Prize Travelling Research Fellow, ARC Future Fellow, and recipient of several NHMRC Research Fellowships from 2002-2016.
Some of his career accomplishments include attracting more than $52 million in research funding as a Chief Investigator, an h-index of 90, >45,000 citations of his work and over 200 publications. Andy has received continuous funding through NHMRC and ARC grants and many other related research awards. In 2020, Andy’s laboratory was the first in Australia to establish a green research lab and obtain Green Level certification (highest level) for sustainability from My Green Labs. In 2023, Andy was recognised as a Highly Cited Researcher in the Clarivate Highly Cited list.
Professor Hill gained his BSc(Hons) in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand and his PhD at Imperial College, London.
Academic Qualifications
1998 – PhD, ‘Molecular analysis of human prion strains’, Imperial College, University of London.
1998 – DIC (Diploma of Imperial College), Imperial College, University of London, UK.
1992 – BSc (HONS – 1st Class), Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
1991 – BSc, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Employment History
2022- present – Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Impact, Victoria University
2020-2021 – Associate Provost Research & Industry Engagement (SHE College), La Trobe University
2017-2020 – Director, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University
2017-2019 – Director, La Trobe Research Centre for Extracellular Vesicles, La Trobe University
2015-2017 – Director, Research Focus Area (Understanding Disease), La Trobe University
2015-2016 – Professor and Head, Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe University
2013-2015 – Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne
2013-2015 – Associate Director (Structural and Cellular Biology), Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne
2009-2012 – Associate Professor and Reader, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne
2003-2008 – Senior Lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne
2002 – Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow, MRC Prion Unit, Institute of Neurology, University College London
2000-2001 – Wellcome Trust Prize Travelling Research Fellow, Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne
1998-2000 – MRC Research Associate, MRC Prion Unit, Imperial College School of Medicine, London
Awards
2023 – Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher
2020 – International Society for Extracellular Vesicles Special Achievement Award
2019 – Merck Research Excellence Medal (from ASBMB)
2010 – Australian Research Council Future Fellow (FT3)
2010 – National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Research Fellow
2008 – Young Investigator Award, Asia-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry
2008 – National Health and Medical Research Council Career Development Fellow (CDAII)
2007 – Young Investigator Award, International Society for Neurochemistry
2006 – Victorian Young Tall Poppy Award
2005 – Young Investigator award Lorne Conference on Protein Structure
2005 – Sigma Aldrich-IUBMB Fellowship
2005 – Applied Biosystems Edman Award (from ASBMB)
2004 – Young Investigator award International Society for Neurochemistry
2003 – National Health and Medical Research Council RD Wright Fellow
2000 – Wellcome Trust Prize International Travelling Research Fellowship
Professional Positions
2021 – current – Editor in Chief, Journal of Extracellular Biology
2013 – current – Associate Editor, Journal of Extracellular Vesicles
2010 – current – Academic Editor, PLoS One
2017-2021 – Member, Australian Research Council College of Experts
2016-2020 – President, International Society for Extracellular Vesicles
2014-2016 – Executive Chair (Communications), International Society for Extracellular Vesicles
2013-2015 – Member, Australian Research Council College of Experts
2012-2014 – Elected Member, Executive Board, International Society for Extracellular Vesicles
2010-2012 – Member, National Health and Medical Research Council Academy
2007-2009 – Member and Chair, National Health and Medical Research Council Grant Review Panel