Professor David Copolov AO, has been a member of the Peter Mac Foundation Grants Committee since 2004, when he commenced nine years of being a Director of the Board of the hospital, the last six of which he served as Deputy Chair. He is the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Major Campuses and Student Engagement at Monash University, where he is also a Professor of Psychiatry. For 19 years (1985-2004) he was the Executive Director of the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria. He served as Board Director of the Royal Women’s Hospital from 2014-2019 and was a Director of the Board of Cabrini Hospital from 2020 to 2024.

Peter Mac researchers have been at the forefront of research that has greatly improved the prognosis for people with many types of cancer. This research has been possible as a result of competitive funding from sources such as the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and also from very important funding - also competitively awarded - from the Peter Mac Foundation.

During my two decades of membership of the Foundation Grants Committee, I have been extremely impressed by the high quality of the applications from Peter Mac researchers and am sure that the results of their research will continue to improve the quality and length of life of people who develop cancer.