- CHS 1967 – 1972
- Dux of Form 3; Science Prize Form 4; Physics Prize Form 6
- Prospice editor in 1972
- Completed B.Sc. (Hons) in Pharmacology 1976; Ph.D. 1981
- Working in research at the Baker Institute for 42 years
- Adjunct Professor, Monash University Department of Pharmacology
- Internationally renowned neurophysiologist
- Awarded Paul Korner Prize for research excellence in 2014
Professor Geoffrey Head is well known internationally for his work in medical research, in particular in the field of neurological and cardiovascular medicine. His work has concentrated on increasing our understanding of the role of the nervous system and chemical agents in our bodies in the regulation of cardiovascular and hypertension conditions. He is Editor in Chief of the major medical journal Frontiers in Integrative Physiology.
Geoffrey: I attended Camberwell High School between 1967 and 1972 and witnessed many changes in that time with the arrival of Miss Essex, who transformed the school and also with the finishing of the new building and assembly hall. My interest was mainly in science, but I very much enjoyed the musical side of the school with my interest in singing and playing the trumpet (poorly). Scholastically I did well, being Dux of Form 3, winning the Science prize in Form 4 and the Physics prize in Form 6. I was also Prospice editor in 1971 and 1972.
At Melbourne University Geoffrey completed a B.Sc. (Hons) in Pharmacology in 1976.
In 1981 he went to the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute to complete a Ph.D. through Monash University. He is currently a Principal Research Fellow of the National Health and Medical Research Centre (NH&MRC), Head of the Neuropharmacology Laboratory at the Baker and an adjunct Professor at Monash University Department of Pharmacology. He has been at this Institute for 42 years, except for a 2-year postdoctoral period in Europe and the US after winning the Life Insurance Medical Research Fund fellowship in 1982. His research interests include the understanding influence of the nervous system on the heart, kidney and the circulation in situations such as high blood pressure, heart failure and obesity. He has made nearly published 320 scientific papers, made 600 scientific presentations and has been invited to speak nationally and internationally over 90 times in his career.
He has also co-authored a university textbook and holds a patent for a novel therapy for heart failure which was isolated from the Taipan Snake venom.
In 2014 Geoffrey was awarded the inaugural Paul Korner prize for research excellence in the field of Neuroscience and Hypertension from the International Society of Hypertension. He was also awarded the Gaston Bauer prize by the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand in 2016.
He is head of the Ambulatory Working group of the High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia (HBPRCA), chair of the Ambulatory Blood Pressure Guidelines joint working party of the National Heart Foundation and head of the Australian Ambulatory Blood Pressure Collaborative (AABPMC). He is editor in chief of “Frontiers in Integrative Physiology” which is the 3rd most highly cited physiology journal, and chair of the Victorian Obesity consortium. Geoffrey concludes: Over many years I have continued my association with Camberwell High School by not only marrying Renee who was in my year, and sending my two sons to the school, but also by being secretary of the ex-students society (CHESS) for 6 years, the CHESS representative on the school council in 2013 and organising several reunions for the class of 1972. Updated 2020