Mark Hutchinson

Professor Mark Hutchinson

Interim Director, IPAS

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Professor Mark Hutchinson is an internationally recognised science leader, researcher, and academic with over two decades of experience driving innovation and impact across diverse fields including pain, addiction, biophotonics, and defence technologies. He currently serves as the Interim Director of the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at the University of Adelaide, where he is also a Professor and leads the Neuroimmunopharmacology laboratory. His research, focusing on neuroimmune signalling and the objective measurement of pain, has led to paradigm shifts in understanding chronic pain and addiction, translating into new therapeutic strategies and significant economic impact, including the progression of three medicines to clinical trials and the generation of over $500 million in market impact and capitalisation from spin-out companies.

Prof. Hutchinson's expertise encompasses advanced basic science methodologies such as biomarker identification, multiomics, and complex data analytics for both human and animal research. He is a strong advocate for consumer and industry engagement in the research process and has an outstanding track record of commercial translation, notably through initiatives like the "Bench to Boardroom" program developed during his tenure as Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP) (2014-2024). His leadership has consistently fostered successful, multidisciplinary teams and secured over $73 million in research funding.

His influence extends to numerous national strategic and ministerial appointments. Prof. Hutchinson is a current member of the Prime Minister’s National Science and Technology Council and the Australian Economic Accelerator Board. He serves as Chair of the Safeguarding Australia through Biotechnology Response and Engagement (SABRE) Alliance and the Australian Pain Solutions Research Alliance (APSRA). His past significant roles include President of Science and Technology Australia (STA) (2021-2023), and membership on the ARC Legislative Review panel and the ARC CEO Advisory Council.

Professor Hutchinson's exceptional leadership and research contributions have been recognised with multiple prestigious awards, including being a Finalist for the 2024 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Scientific Leadership, the 2025 Patrick Wall Lecture (New Zealand Pain Society), the 2022 Inaugural Coppoc ONE Health Lecture (Kansas State University), the 2019 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement – A Culture Of Impact (University of Adelaide), the 2015 James McWha Award of Excellence (University of Adelaide), and the 2012 Robert Ader Young Investigator Award from the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society.

My research program is dedicated to unravelling the complex mechanisms of neuroimmune signalling, particularly its role in the development and maintenance of exaggerated pain states and addiction. A core component of this work involves the innovation and application of sophisticated, precision measurement technologies to objectively quantify pain in both humans and animals. This pioneering work has garnered international acclaim and has delivered substantial knowledge, economic, and societal impacts.

A significant breakthrough from my laboratory has been the paradigm-shifting discovery of how glial cells – the non-neuronal cells of the nervous system – actively modulate immune signalling within the brain and spinal cord. This research has fundamentally altered the understanding of pain and addiction, revealing that glial cells are critical in driving exaggerated pain sensitivity and are key to the processes underlying drug dependence. Notably, we discovered that opioid-induced immune signalling involving glia occurs rapidly (within minutes) and even with a single drug exposure, modifying both the beneficial analgesic effects and the detrimental misuse potential of opioids. These insights have identified novel therapeutic targets for a range of debilitating conditions. The economic impact of this foundational research is evidenced by over 108 patents citing 30 of my publications, and the translation of compounds from my lab into clinical agents. For instance, new drug indications identified through my research led to NIH-sponsored Phase II clinical trials, with one company (MediciNova) experiencing a 30% market capitalisation increase (approx. $90M USD) following public disclosure of these developments in March 2016.

I have a strong track record of leading and directing major national and international multidisciplinary research initiatives. As Director of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP) from 2014 to 2024, I led a diverse team of over 200 scientists and students across multiple institutions. Under my leadership, the CNBP produced over 550 publications, maintained a relative citation index of 1.6 compared to similar international institutes, and leveraged its initial ARC funding to secure an additional $155 million in competitive, industry, and collaborative research funds. A key initiative I established within the CNBP was the "Bench to Boardroom" program, which has directly resulted in the creation of 19 start-ups and spin-out companies. These ventures have achieved a collective market capitalisation and demonstrated new market impact value exceeding $500 million, representing a greater than 20-fold return on the initial ARC investment and creating over 100 new industry-placed jobs. My own laboratory work has seen the translation of 3 medicines to Investigational New Drug (IND) stage clinical trials in the USA for conditions including chronic pain.

My leadership extends to establishing and chairing significant national alliances, including the Safeguarding Australia through Biotechnology Response and Engagement (SABRE) Alliance, launched in 2022 in collaboration with Defence Science Technology Group (DSTG), and the Australian Pain Solutions Research Alliance (APSRA). These initiatives foster collaboration across academia, industry, and government to address critical national challenges. I also currently serve as the interim Director of The Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at the University of Adelaide.

My research program has been exceptionally well-funded, securing over $73 million from a diverse range of prestigious national and international competitive funding organisations. I have a prolific publication record with over 270 outputs (averaging 53.1 citations per paper, Field-Weighted Citation Impact of 1.8), including over 250 peer-reviewed publications, with 40% as lead or senior author. My work consistently involves extensive national (95% of papers) and international (40% of papers) collaboration, leading research activities in countries such as Canada, USA, Japan, UK, Singapore, China, and Malaysia. I am ranked in the Top 1% of authors in the ESI field of Neuroscience and Behaviour, and three of my papers are classified as "highly cited" (top 1%, Incites). My contributions have been recognised through numerous awards and over 150 invited presentations at national and international conferences since 2013, including 15 plenary lectures and 32 keynote addresses, such as presentations at the last six biennial World Congress on Pain meetings.

My research program has been consistently supported by a diverse portfolio of competitive grants and funding from national and international bodies, as well as industry partnerships. 

Total career funding exceeds $73 million, with over $55 million from NHMRC and ARC as a Chief Investigator A

Selected funding includes:

  • ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP): Director and Chief Investigator (CE140100003; $38M initial ARC investment, leveraged to over $155M total funding).
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC):
    • Multiple Project Grants (including APP1026178 as CIB).
    • CJ Martin Postdoctoral Fellowship (Sole CI).
  • Australian Research Council (ARC):
    • Future Fellowship (FT180100565; Sole CI).
    • Discovery Grant with Australian Research Fellowship (ARF) (DP110100297; Sole CI).
  • United States National Institutes of Health (NIH):
    • Multiple R01 Grants as a international investigator (R01 DA034185; R01 DA025978; R01 DA23132; R01 DE017782).
  • Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG):
    • Centre for Advanced Defence Research and Enterprise - OCE (CIB & other roles).
    • SynBioGen programs.
    • Human Integrated Sensor System Program.
  • United States Department of Defense (DoD):
    • CDMRP grant ($614K).
    • US Airforce Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).
  • Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
  • SA Sheep Industry Fund: Pain Mitigation (CIA).
  • National Breast Cancer Foundation of Australia: ($112K).
  • USA Fibromyalgia Association: Pilot grant ($55K).
  • US Drug Authority (USADA).
  • Contract Research: Approximately $3M from pharmaceutical companies including Phebra, Bionomics, Avigen, Covidien, Implicit Biosciences, NovImmune, Merck, and Johnson & Johnson for research on neuroimmune targeted therapies.
  • Other Industry and Collaborative Research Funds: Significant funding through partnerships with entities such as Regeneus, Novartis, and Abbott.

 

My commitment to education and knowledge dissemination is demonstrated through a variety of teaching and mentoring activities:

  • Continuing Medical Education (CME): I regularly contribute to CME courses and workshops for various Medical Colleges, Faculties, Professional Societies, and industry groups. This involves sharing the latest research findings and their clinical implications with practicing professionals.
  • University Lecturing: I am an invited specialist lecturer for several undergraduate courses at the University of Adelaide, bringing cutting-edge research insights into the curriculum.
  • Postgraduate Supervision and Mentoring: I lead the Neuroimmunopharmacology Laboratory, currently supervising a team of 7 postdoctoral fellows and 8 PhD students. Throughout my career, I have supervised more than 25 PhD students, all of whom are now working in research or related fields.
  • Broader Mentorship: I am passionate about mentoring future leaders and currently mentor 15 scientists and professionals. The CNBP alumnus, under my directorship, includes nearly 50 competitively funded research fellows, leaders of national science institutions and agencies, consultants, and founders of start-up companies. This reflects a strong commitment to fostering talent and supporting diverse career pathways in science.
  • Curriculum and Program Development: My leadership in initiatives like the CNBP's "Bench to Boardroom" program involved developing training and mentoring components to equip scientists with entrepreneurial skills.
  • Public Education and Science Communication: I actively engage in STEM education with school and community groups. This includes numerous public engagements (over 170 through CNBP) and media appearances (over 230 media stories for CNBP, 17 personal news stories in the past 2 years) to communicate the importance and impact of scientific research to the broader public. I delivered the ABC televised National Press Club address in March 2022 on "How to take more great Australian science from ‘bench to boardroom’."

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2025 Co-Supervisor Using Virtual Reality to induce positive affect and explore the impact on wellbeing and anhedonia. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Elliot Howard
    2025 Principal Supervisor Investigating the role of TLR4 antagonists and the effects on chronic pain: a structural biology journey Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Doctorate Full Time Mr Anston Savio D'silva
    2024 Co-Supervisor Strength training interventions for people at risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Riccarda Albana Quattlaender
    2024 Co-Supervisor A phenotypic and genetic approach to identify fossil frogs from Naracoorte caves with comparison to modern Australian species in the southeast. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Natasha Lee Hiotis
    2022 Co-Supervisor Oxidative stress activated prodrugs Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Ravindu Ranasinghe
    2022 Principal Supervisor The Human Integrated Sensor System (HISS) Challenge Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Michail Laoumtzis
    2021 Principal Supervisor Exploring the neurobiological bases of affective states Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Jane Cerina Morphett
    2021 Principal Supervisor Regulation of the neuro-immune system Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Benjamin Daniel Barry
    2021 Co-Supervisor Effectiveness of Exercise to Improve Patient-Reported and Central Pain Modulation Outcomes in Chronic Neck Pain Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Kexun Kenneth Chen
    2021 Principal Supervisor Quantification of the lifetime experience of pain in livestock and its implications on productivity and animal husbandry practices, including applications to human health and wellbeing Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Charlotte Helen Johnston
    2021 Co-Supervisor The physiological impacts of virtual fencing on sheep and cattle in South Australia. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Megan Beth Willis
    2020 Principal Supervisor Immunophenotyping of Spinal Cord Injured Patients – Advancing Diagnostics and Prognostics. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr James Edward Swift

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Peripheral-to-Central Neuroimmune Communication and the Sun: Implications for Addiction and Neurodegenerative Disease Pathology Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Full Time Ms Krystal Lee Iacopetta
    2019 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Investigating the effect of mesenchymal stem cells and conditioned media for the treatment of pain and neuropathic pain Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Chrysostomos Constantine Maoudis
    2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Assessing Pain and Treatment Responsiveness in a Patient Cohort and Mouse Model of Inflammatory Arthritis Using Neurobiophotonics Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Florence Lees
    2016 - 2020 Principal Supervisor The Role of Nitroxyl in the Development of Neuropathic Pain Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Vicky Staikopoulos
    2015 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Investigation of a Functional Relationship Between Toll-Like Receptor 4 and Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel Subfamily V Member 1 in Relation to a Novel Neuroimmune Pain Model Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Samuel Greig Evans
    2015 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Advanced Preclinical Assessment of Hyper-Nociception Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Azim Arman
    2014 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Exploring the Bidirectional Interface between Stress and Innate Immunity: A Focus on Glucocorticoid and TLR4-MyD88 Signalling Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Jiajun Liu
    2014 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Investigating the role of Toll-like receptor 4 in myocardial ischaemic-preconditioning and ischaemic-reperfusion injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Sam Man Lee
    2014 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Exploring the Role of Spinal Glia and Toll-Like Receptor 4 in the Development of Endometriosis and Neuroimmune-Associated Pain Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Kelsi Nicole Dodds
    2014 - 2019 Co-Supervisor An optical fibre point temperature sensor for investigation of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') induced hyperthermia in the rat brain Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Stefan Tyrone Musolino
    2014 - 2019 Principal Supervisor From the Bottom Up: Chemotherapy-Induced Gut Toxicity, Glial Reactivity and Cognitive Impairment Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Juliana Esma Bajic
    2014 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Experimental Models of Alcohol Induced Inflammation-associated Depressive-like Behaviour Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Joshua Luke Holmes
    2013 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Toll-Like Receptor 4 Signalling in Inflammation Pathways to Term and Preterm Delivery Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Hanan Hamimi Binti Wahid
    2013 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Exploring the Pharmacology of (+)-Naltrexone on Alcohol Reward and Anxiety Behaviours Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Jonathan Henry Jacobsen
    2011 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Neuroimmunopharmacology of Opioids Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Jacob Henry Lloyd Thomas
    2010 - 2015 Co-Supervisor The thermal grill as a tool to investigate analgesic clinical pharmacology Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Nicole Martha Sumracki
    2010 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Pharmacogenetics of Ketamine Metabolism and Immunopharmacology of Ketamine Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Yibai Li
    2010 - 2015 Principal Supervisor Sex Differences in Allodynia: A complex Interaction Between 17beta-Oestradiol and the Innate Immune System Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Lauren Louise Nicotra
    2010 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Codeine, heightened pain sensitivity and medication overuse headache: A neuroimmune hypothesis and novel treatment strategy. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Jacinta Lee Johnson
    2009 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Potential peripheral biomarkers for chronic pain Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Yuen Kwok
    2009 - 2011 Co-Supervisor CNS Immune Signalling and Drug Addiction: Role of Interleukin-1 Beta Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Liang Liu
    2008 - 2011 Co-Supervisor The Neuroimmunopharmacology of Alcohol Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Yue Wu
    2007 - 2011 Co-Supervisor Two methods of biomarker discovery: applications in neuropathic pain and pharmacotherapy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Peter Grace

  • Board Memberships
    Date Role Board name Institution name Country
    2024 - ongoing Member National Science and Technology Council National Science and Technology Council Australia
    2024 - ongoing Member Australian Economic Accelerator Board Australian Economic Accelerator Board Australia
    2024 - ongoing Board Member the Prime Minister’s National Science and Technology Council the Prime Minister’s National Science and Technology Council Australia
    2022 - 2023 Board Member Ministerial Review of the 2001 ARC Act Legislation Ministerial Review of the 2001 ARC Act Legislation Australia
    2022 - 2023 Member Ministerial Review of the 2001 ARC Act Legislation Ministerial Review of the 2001 ARC Act Legislation Australia
    2022 - ongoing Member the DSTG CBRN STaR Shot OSAC advisory council DSTG CBRN STaR Shot OSAC Australia
    2022 - ongoing Member Ministerial Review of the 2001 ARC Act Legislation ARC Australia
    2020 - ongoing Founder The Animal Welfare Collaborative The Animal Welfare Collaborative Australia
    2013 - 2024 Chair Centre for Nanoscale BioPhotonics Centre for Nanoscale BioPhotonics Australia
    2013 - ongoing Board Member Science Technology Australia - Australia

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2023 - ongoing Chair STEM Career Pathways Review for the Office of the Chief Scientist STEM Career Pathways Review for the Office of the Chief Scientist Australia
    2022 - ongoing Chair the Australian Pain Solutions Research Alliance steering committee the Australian Pain Solutions Research Alliance steering committee Australia
    2022 - ongoing Chair the Safeguarding Australia through Biotechnology Response and Engagement (SABRE) Alliance steering committee SABRE Alliance Steering Committee Australia
    2020 - ongoing Chair Davies Livestock Research Centre advisory committee Davies Livestock Research Centre advisory committee Australia
    2013 - 2024 Convener Centre for Nanoscale BioPhotonics Centre for Nanoscale BioPhotonics Australia

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2012 - ongoing Member Australian Pain Society Australia
    2007 - ongoing Member International Association for the Study of Pain United States
    2007 - ongoing Member Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society United States
    2002 - ongoing Member Society for Neuroscience United States
    1999 - ongoing Representative Australasian Society for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology Australia

  • Consulting/Advisories
    Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
    2022 - ongoing The Australian Research Council, CEO Advisory Council The Australian Research Council Scientific research Australia
    2022 - ongoing DSTG, Human Integrated Sensory System Program DSTG Scientific research Australia

  • Editorial Boards
    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2015 - ongoing Associate Editor Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - -
  • Position: Interim Director, IPAS
  • Phone: 83130322
  • Email: mark.hutchinson@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 82240685
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Helen Mayo South, floor Fifth Floor
  • Org Unit: Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing
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