Anthony Akkari

Pharmaco-geneticist and neuromuscular disease geneticist with over 30 years research experience, including 18 years of industry expertise in molecular genetics, pharmaco-genetics and personalised medicine. Leader and expert in the integration of genetics and pharmacogenetics in drug development. Translational research leader at GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly and Black Swan Pharmaceuticals. 

Recruited internationally to build and lead the Motor Neurone Disease Genetics and Therapeutics team at the Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science and Murdoch University. Chief Scientific Officer at Black Swan Biotechnology Holdings Australia, a therapeutics development company specialising in motor Neurone disease and broadly neurodegenerative diseases.

Appointed as Professor and Foundation Chair of Industrial Pharmaocgenetics at Murdoch University. Appointed Director of Personalised Medicine Centre (formerly Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics), Murdoch University. Appointed as adjunct Professor in two top 100 world ranking universities Duke University (North Carolina) rank 42, and University of Western Australia (Perth) rank 92. In the last 5 years Anthony has secured over 7.63 million dollars in funding that includes industry, philanthropic and competitive grant funding. Over 50 publications in total, 17 publications predominantly in neurodegenerative disease genetics in the last 6 years.  He has served on the board of the Motor Neurone Disease Association of Western Australia for over 3 years and was invited to be the Western Australian State Representative to the Motor Neurone Disease Collective of Australia.