Rate My Professor Maree Gleeson

Emeritus Professor Maree Gleeson is an immunologist who has held leadership and professional positions in health services, health policy, academia, and medical research at the University of Newcastle's School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy within the Faculty of Health and Medicine. She earned a PhD in Pathology from the University of Newcastle, a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Sydney, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sydney, and a Masters Qualifying Course equivalent to Honours from the University of Sydney. Her career spans over 40 years, including Director of the Hunter Medical Research Institute (2006-2011), where she implemented a strategic plan leading to substantial growth in research funding from 400 to over 1000 researchers and construction of a $90 million facility; Inaugural Director of Medical Research in the NSW Ministry for Science & Medical Research (2004-2006), developing the 2006 Medical Research Plan; and Director of Immunology for the Hunter Area Pathology Service (2002-2004). She has progressed through conjoint academic appointments at the University of Newcastle since 1989, from Lecturer to Professor, and served as Interim Director of NSW Regional Health Partners (2017-2018). Gleeson has been a non-executive director on boards including NSW Health Pathology, Hunter Water Corporation, Central Coast Local Health District, Hunter Valley Research Foundation, and Nationwide Superannuation Fund, and contributed to NHMRC Principal Advisory Committee for Preventative and Community Health, Translation Faculty Committees for Dementia and Asthma, and data reference groups.

Gleeson's research themes include the ontogeny of mucosal immunity in children and the role of respiratory infections in asthma, allergy, and sudden infant death syndrome; exercise immunology and causes of respiratory illness in elite athletes with the Australian Institute of Sport; and immunity in Antarctic expeditioners with the Australian Antarctic Division. Key publications encompass chapters such as 'Ontogeny of Mucosal Immunity and Aging' (2015, 2005), 'Inflammation and Immune Function: Can Antioxidants Help the Endurance Athlete?' (2015), and articles like 'Incidence of acute respiratory illnesses in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis' (2022, British Journal of Sports Medicine), 'Allan William Cripps: a mucosal immunologist and mentor from beginning to end' (2023, Immunology and Cell Biology). She has taught undergraduate immunology in medical, nursing, and biomedical degrees, supervised honours and higher degree students, and established the INSIGHT mid-career researcher leadership program at HMRI and supported women's leadership initiatives at the University of Newcastle. Awards include Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales (2016), Medal of the Order of Australia (2011), Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2009), and Immunology and Cell Biology publication of the year (2002).