Old Boy and current parent, Professor Simon Cool (1985), is a research director with broad experience leading multidisciplinary research teams in medical device development, stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine. More specifically, this has involved developing treatments for bone injury, spinal disc disease and cartilage degeneration, and most recently blood vessel conditions. His passion for discovery science, coupled with a thirst for clinical translation and entrepreneurism, has resulted in patented technology, clinical trials, and commercial start-ups.

After spending more than 18 years in Singapore with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) at both the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) and the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Simon is excited to be back in his hometown. In February, he joined the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Queensland (UQ) as Professor of Bioengineering. Simon says: “I am excited to be at UQ working with a vibrant community of immensely talented people with tremendous research capabilities that are striving for excellence. I am looking forward to building strong national and international collaborations that leverage on a pipeline of research innovation, and I hope to use my global experiences to teach and inspire future Queensland bioengineers”.