Michael McCullough

Professor Michael McCullough is the Professor of Oral Medicine at the Melbourne Dental School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne. He earned his BDSc (Hons) in 1982, PhD in 1995, and MDSc in 1997, all from the University of Melbourne. McCullough became a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Dental Surgeons in 1995. In 2024, he was awarded the Alan Docking Science Award by the International Association for Dental Research Australian and New Zealand Division, the highest accolade for distinguished research in dentistry. He has held the position of Professor since at least 2001 and has served in leadership roles such as Chair of Teaching and Learning at the Melbourne Dental School.

McCullough's research specializations include the early detection of oral cancers using non-invasive technologies, the determinants of Candida species pathogenicity in the oral cavity, oral mucosal malignancies and potentially malignant lesions, chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis, oral lichen planus, and the role of microRNA in cancer diagnostics. He has authored or co-authored over 229 research works, with key publications including the co-edited book Contemporary Oral Medicine: A Comprehensive Approach to Clinical Practice (2019), contributions to Handbook of Dental Therapeutics (2022), and chapters such as "Candidosis and Candida-Associated Conditions" (2024) and "Oral Human Herpes Virus Infections" (2024). Notable articles encompass "Oral mucosal malignancy and potentially malignant lesions: an update on the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis and management," "High Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid Mitigates Chemotherapy-Induced Oral Mucositis" (2024), and "Oral mucosal scrapes capture cancer associated microRNA expression consistent with histopathology" (2026). As convener of the postgraduate courses in Oral Medicine and Special Needs Dentistry, he also provides clinical consultancy at the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Frankston Integrated Health. His contributions have influenced oral cancer screening practices, antimicrobial stewardship in dentistry, and management of oral diseases.

Professional Email: m.mccullough@unimelb.edu.au