Doug Hilton

Douglas James Hilton (born 13 June 1964 in England) is an Australian molecular biologist. He is the CEO of CSIRO and immediate past Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia. His research has focused on cytokines, signal transduction pathways and the regulation of blood cell formation (hematopoiesis). Hilton was the President of the Association of the Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) from 2014-16.

Early life Hilton migrated to Australia with his family in 1970 and grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Warrandyte. He was educated at Warrandyte Primary School and East Doncaster High School, where he recalls being inspired by “a wonderful biology teacher”.

Scientific career Education Hilton received a Bachelor of Science from Monash University. He spent summer holidays as an undergraduate researcher in the laboratory of Ian Young at the John Curtin School of Medical Research. His Honours and PhD research projects were conducted with Professors Don Metcalf and Nicos Nicola at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and resulted in the cloning of the cytokine Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF).

Cytokine Signalling and Blood Cell Formation Hilton spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow studying the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor with Professor Harvey Lodish at the Whitehead Institute, MIT, USA. during which he initiated the Australian Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP). He is also a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of the biotechnology company MuriGen Therapeutics. He currently serves on the Board of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, the Australian Cancer Research Foundation Medical Research Advisory Committee, the Victorian Cancer Agency Plan Implementation Committee, the Victorian Life Sciences Computational Initiative Steering Committee, the Board of the Bio21 Cluster, and the Board of the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Thailand.

Directorship of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute On 1 July 2009, Hilton became the sixth Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.

At the time of appointment, Hilton believed that the Institute's success requires: continuing its cornerstone research into cancer, blood cells, immunology, autoimmunity and infectious diseases, and enhancing this research with technological and investigative innovations including structural biology, chemistry, high-throughput screening, and mathematics and computational science. expanding the translational research conducted by the Institute and considering, in collaboration with indigenous communities and other organisations, ways in which the research strengths of the Institute can be constructively utilised to improve indigenous health in Australia. enhancing the institute's links with the University of Melbourne, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and other leading centres of excellence in medical research and education, and continuing to pursue collaborations with the private sector.

Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) On 19 June 2023, it was announced that Doug Hilton was to become the Chief Executive of CSIRO starting 29 September 2023.

Awards and honours 1989 — Victorian Young Achiever of the Year 1993 — Queen Elizabeth II Postdoctoral Fellowship 1998 — Gottschalk Medal, Australian Academy of Science 1999 — Australian Institute of Political Science, Victorian "Tall Poppy" Award 2000 — Amgen Medical Researcher Award, Australian Society for Medical Research 2000 — Inaugural Commonwealth Health Minister's Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research 2003 — The GlaxoSmithKline Australia Award for Research Excellence 2004 — Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA) 2006 — COSMOS Bright Spark Award "Australia's Top 10 Scientific Minds Under 45" 2008 — Australia National Health and Medical Research Council “Ten great minds in health and medical research” 2009 — The Age Melbourne Magazine, “Top 100 People” 2010 — Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) 2011 — Seymour & Vivian Milstein Award for Excellence in Interferon and Cytokine Research, International Cytokine Society and the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research 2011 — Research Australia Leadership and Innovation Award 2012 — Lemberg Medal, Australian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2012 — Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers 2013 — Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence in Biomedical Research 2015 — Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences 2016 — Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to medical research and education, particularly in the field of haematology, as a molecular biologist and author, to gender equity, and as a mentor of young scientists. 2017 – Monash Distinguished Alumni Award, Faculty of Biomedical and Physiological Sciences 2020 – Melburnian of the Year