Professor Jane Gunn appointed Dean of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

Throughout 2020, Professor Jane Gunn was instrumental in formulating the University’s response to COVID-19 in her role as the Chief Public Health Adviser as part of the University’s pandemic response team.

Professor Jane Gunn has taken up her role as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (MDHS).

Professor Gunn was previously the MDHS Deputy Dean, following a decade as Head of the Department of General Practice and a further two years as Deputy Head of the Melbourne Medical School.

As Dean, Professor Gunn will steer the faculty’s strategic aims and objectives. Professor Gunn is a distinguished academic and inaugural Chair of Primary Care Research at the University and has made significant contributions to health services research and applied clinical research in the primary care setting. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

Throughout 2020, Professor Gunn was instrumental in formulating the University’s response to COVID-19 in her role as the Chief Public Health Adviser as part of the University’s pandemic response team.

One of her key areas of interest has been to transform mental health care in the primary care setting, focusing on depression. Her research harnesses the patient experience in order to drive health care reform.

In 2005, Professor Gunn established the diamond cohort study. Diamond has documented the experiences and outcomes of depression in primary care for the past decade. This research is one of the most comprehensive data sets of its type in the world and is the basis of much productive international collaboration.

As recently as January 2021, the study led by Professor Gunn was highlighted as one of the ‘Ten of the Best’ by the NHMRC, naming it as one the most significant projects that supports the improvement of human health.

In her career, Professor Gunn has championed the role of the general practitioner in the community, conducted valuable research and mentored many students.

“As the Dean, I am committed to continuing the work started before me – to build knowledge and skills, to provide the best teaching to our students and to promote high quality research through leadership and partnerships,” Professor Gunn said.

“I am proud to be the Dean of this faculty and while I am the first woman to lead this great faculty, I won’t be the last.”

Professor Gunn takes over the role following the departure of Professor Shitij Kapur, who was Dean for more than four years and is returning home to the UK to take on the role as President and Principal of King’s College London.

MDHS is at the heart of Australia’s premier biomedical cluster and comprises:

  • More than 8800 students, including undergraduates, post-graduates and higher degree students
  • Six of Australia’s leading health and biomedical schools delivering 160+ courses
  • More than 3000 academic staff including 4000+ honorary staff based in hospitals, research and other institutions
  • 800+ professional staff
  • Strong relationships with 12 major hospitals and services, including rural based services, a range of research institutes and bio-tech industries.