Suran Fernando

Professor Suran Fernando is a Clinical Professor in the Northern Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, at the University of Sydney. He holds the position of Inaugural Head of the Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, and serves as Clinical Director of Immunology and Allergy Services for the Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD). Additionally, he manages the ImmunoRheumatology Laboratory of the Sydney Division of Pathology North. A specialist in clinical immunology and immunopathology, Fernando's expertise spans drug allergy, autoimmune bullous diseases, neuroimmunology, and the interplay between infection and immunity. He provides clinical services in allergy and clinical immunology for both paediatric and adult patients.

Fernando earned his BSc(Med) and MBBS with honours from the University of New South Wales in 1994, followed by fellowships from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (FRCPA) in 2001. He completed his PhD in 2006 from the University of Sydney, with a thesis titled "The P2X7 Purinergic Receptor and Mycobacterial Infections in Humans," supervised by Professor Warwick Britton at the Centenary Institute. Since his appointment at Royal North Shore Hospital in 2008, he has significantly advanced the immunology discipline by establishing thriving tertiary referral inpatient and outpatient services, specialty clinics including drug testing and neuroimmunology, introducing in vitro drug allergy testing, and developing training and research programs for specialty registrars and scientists. Fernando has authored over 100 publications, including peer-reviewed articles, invited reviews, book chapters, and abstracts. He edited the 2013 InTech publication "Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions, Skin Biopsy – Diagnosis and Treatment" and contributed chapters on severe cutaneous adverse reactions, oral lichen planus, pemphigus vulgaris, and pemphigus foliaceus. He actively serves on key committees such as the New South Wales HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections Strategic Planning Committee, the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Anaphylaxis and Stinging Insect Working Parties, the Australian and New Zealand Anaesthetic Allergy Group, and the International Mentoring Program of the Australasian Society of HIV Medicine.

Professional Email: suran.fernando@sydney.edu.au